Mom can I have-
by ReeReeWithAngst
Summary: A fuller house style story where Dipper and Mabel live in one house with two apartments and help take care of Dipper's twin girls and Mabel's triplets respectively. Updated sporadically I'm sure. please review
1. P-terodactyl

"Mom can I have-"

"Yes, wait, no. Wait... What is it you want?"

"A dinosaur!"

"No Ty, no dinosaur." The kid sulked.

"You had a pig when you were 12."

"That was different. I told you that you and your brother and sister could have one reasonably sized pet." Ty sulked.

"I'd say a pterodactyl is reasonably sized..."

"It isn't!" A voice from behind them said. Mabel smiled.

"See, your Uncle agrees with me. And he's the resident nerd brain here."

"Ha! Nerd brain..." Ty snorted.

"You cannot call your brother a nerd brain." She said quickly.

"Aw mom, you do it." The nine year old whined.

"I'm an adult." Mabel said triumphantly.

"Barely." Dipper retorted.

"Can I call Meg a nerd brain?" He pondered, thinking about his super smart little cousin, who was six.

"I wouldn't. She'd beat you up and I'd have to ground her." Dipper said solemnly. He hated grounding either of his two twin nuggets of joy, Meg and Jess. He always felt guilty punishing them, and couldn't push that off on their mother.

"She couldn't beat me up! I'm a Wizard!" He raised his arms triumphantly, and a few sparks shot out. Dipper laughed and ruffled Ty's reddish brown hair, going over to Mabel.

Ty wandered off, no doubt dreaming up ways to get himself that dinosaur, either that or lovingly antagonizing his brother Mac.

"What're you doing?" He asked, casually leaning on her spinny chair.

"Bills."

"Boring." He yawned dramatically.

"Sorry we can't all be paranormal researchers." She retorted, brushing her hair back, hearing a ruckus in the living room and calling out,

"You kids better do your homework or else!" Slightly quieter ruckus followed, so she was pretty sure her loving threat was clear.

"Or else what?" He asked with amusement, taking up his cell phone so he could order a pizza for them. He knew what everyone liked... Better make that three pizzas.

"Tyrone wants a pet, a lot. So I told him and his siblings that they couldn't have any pets if they didn't do all of their homework every night." Mabel went for her calculator, then sighed and just looked up at Dipper.

"Come on Nerd brain, what is that number going to be?"

"249.69."

"Thanks. Order the garlic knots."

"Done. What kind of name is garlic knot anyway? What are they supposed to be? It makes no sense."

"I don't know, but Mac wants to be a garlic knot for Halloween."

"No way is he going to be a garlic knot. He's a triplet he has to be in a triplet costume."

"Right, I know, so I'm thinking of making Ty be a second garlic knot and Isabel be marinara sauce."

"She won't go for that."

"What about Meg and Jess? What are they going to be? Not Elsa and Anna again, I hope."

"No, they've finally let it go. I want them to go as either a cookie and milk or as you and me. You know, one wears a vest and a red shirt and the hat and the other wears the sweater?"

"Yeah, do that, make them dress as us."

"Will anyone get the costume, though?"

"They will if you take them to Gravity Falls instead of around here." Mabel and Dipper shared a house with two separate apartments, one for Dipper and his two girls and one for Mabel and her triplets. Initially, they had wanted to live in the town they had spent their summers, but had settled in an even smaller town with what Dipper called paranormal runoff from the falls. It was a decision based purely on the fear of Bill they both still possessed, even 20 years later.

"Well, some people will know. I guess it would be nice if the girls got to see their friends back home..." Dipper thought, though they usually just did Summerween there and Halloween here.

"It's settled then. We'll all go to Gravity falls for the Holiday."

"Can you make Jess a shooting star sweater?"

"Yeah, with all the free time I have."

"You used to make at least one sweater a day."

"Three kids ago." Mabel argued. As she talked, a sleepy Jess climbed down from upstairs and crawled it to her aunt's lap. Jess really looked up to her. Mabel smiled and cuddled the little blond girl.

"Hey sweetheart, how was your day?" Dipper asked, crouching down to his daughter's level, smiling at her.

"Good daddy but I'm sleepy now."

"Did you have fun at school?" Dipper had been worried 1st grade would be too much of a transition for his baby girls. But it was mid-september, and they were fine. Jess nodded, and as Dipper remained crouching a small body jumped on his back.

"There's my other princess. How was school today Meg?" Meg was silent a moment as her tiny arms reached around his neck.

"Eh." Dipper knew how she felt.

"Are you making friends?" Meg fell silent for longer this time and dread welled up in Dipper's heart. Meg was him, a younger, cuter him. She had the same birthmark as him, was smart and curious like him...

...Friendless like him. Thank goodness for her sister and cousins or else she would have no one around her age to play with. Dipper tried to keep her busy so she didn't ever have to feel lonely. Meg and Jess were taking ballet and self defense classes and whenever possible she and Jess went to work with daddy. On safer cases. Regardless, Dipper longed for his little princess to have friends.

Of course, Jess was a social butterfly. Jess had more friends then she knew what to do with.

The pizzas arrived, and everyone got called down for dinner. Then the parade of children who had to wash and rewash their hands began and Mabel counted to make sure she had no more and no less than three kids. There had been mischief on a number of occasions. Clones, runaways, and robotic replacements were not welcome unannounced at the dinner table.

Finally they all sat down to begin grabbing at pizza, Ty piping up mid slice,

"Hey mom, can I have a time machine?"

"Ask me yesterday."

"Okay. Hey! No. Fair." Ty sulked. Mabel just kissed his head. Life was rarely fair.

* * *

 **More backstory on the twins and triplets to come in the chapters that follow. Just wanted to start out. It isn't the best or the worst. To sum up, Mabel's three are nine, named Isabel (oldest), Macon (middle) and Tyrone (baby of the group). Dipper has two six year olds, Meg and Jess. Jess is older.**


	2. Flamethrower

**About seeing the parents of these kids! Mabel's ex-husband may appear in the story, he is a character of my own creation and quite a powerful one at that. Dipper's wife, unfortunately, died during childbirth. Watchers of Gravity Falls already know her.**

* * *

"Mom can I have a flamethrower?" Isabel asked casually as she and her slightly manic brothers came home from school.

"Absolutely not young lady you know the rules."

"No flamethrowers is a lame rule."

"After the chainsaw incident- don't roll your eyes at me- I had to be careful."

"No one even needs their big toe."

"Don't you think your brother is the one who should decide about whether or not he needs a big toe?"

"Macon didn't complain..."

"Macon almost never complains."

"Dad would let me have a flamethrower..."

"You know very well he would tell you to make your own flamethrower." Isabel got that look in her eyes, her fingers beginning to glow.

"Don't you dare young lady. The fire department already hates us!"

"You said dad would let me!"

"Your father is insane."

"You're just saying that because he left you." The nine year old girl muttered under her breath.

"Go to your room!" Mabel roared, beyond frustrated. Five kids scattered in every direction. Mabel could be scary sometimes.

The once far more calm woman was near her last nerve. She sat huffing and puffing. Hmph. The attitude of that child. She calmed herself by spinning wildly in the spinny chair. She was still doing so when her brother, who was a professional adult with an 9 to 5-ish job came home.

"Bad day, huh?"

"How'd you know?" Came the muffled reply.

"Because you're spinning and you're in sweater town."

"Yeah. I think my daughter is a teenager."

"Is it a leap year?" He joked. She sighed dramatically, spinning still. He reached out to stop her. The abrupt stop sent her falling face first to the floor. They were dignified 33 year olds.

"I finished the sweater for Jess." Mabel said from the floor, Dipper calmly propping her up. She was trying to change the subject, but had burrowed further into sweater town.

"Come on out Mabel... It's all okay..." He soothed.

"I don't know where she gets her attitude I feel like I'm failing her..."

"You are not failing her. She's just a tough kid going through a rough time. Things will get better."

"Can you go talk to her for me? She likes you..."

"Yeah, and she loves you." Mabel nodded, but she wasn't too sure.

"How about you order take out, and I'll go talk to my niece like you suggested, and everything will work out." Mabel looked at him.

"You're using the voice you use with Meg and Jess when they're upset." Dipper gave her a weak smile, hurting deep down.

"I just want to keep all of my girls happy."

"Thanks bro bro." Mabel stood and moved to the recliner in the living room, which was more comfortable then the floor and less dangerous than the spinny chair. The sounds of silence were suspicious, but she chose to assume it was the quiet of dutiful children who were doing homework. The delusion was peaceful at least. Hopefully no toes were being lost.

She saw her brother duck into her kitchen and retrieve something before going down the hall to Isabel's room.

Dipper knocked then entered. Isabel knew it was him because he was the only person who knocked. He caught her glowing red handed.

"I know, I know, no fire in the house."

"That's not what I was _going_ to say." Dipper said, hiding something behind his back.

"Wait, really?" She said, unsuccessfully trying to peer behind him to catch a glimpse.

"Nope. Besides I believe the rule written down is no flame throwers, so as long as you aren't going to throw the flames I really see no problem do you?"

"No..." Isabel said slowly, not believing what her Uncle said.

"Why would I turn off your powers when we could make S'mores and chat?" Dipper produced a bag of marshmallows and all other necessary ingredients. Isabel broke into a grin.

"But let's open the window before a smoke detector goes off." He added quickly. The fire department really did hate them. Isabel waved her unlit hand and a window slammed open.

"Angry?" He surmised.

"The no flamethrower rule is stupid. All her rules are stupid!" Isabel raged as they began roasting marshmallows.

"I know that feeling. All those dumb rules. Isn't the end of the world if you break one or two of them, right?" Dipper said sympathetically.

"Right!" She said emphatically, burning her marshmallow to a crisp.

"Well, once upon a time, your mother and I weren't as careful as we should have been. Rules got broken, people got hurt, and the world as we know it almost actually ended." Isabel gaped at him as he popped a S'more in his mouth.

"You aren't serious."

"I'm completely serious. The whole record is in one of my paranormal journals, I'll show you one day."

"So... What are you saying?" She asked quietly, a little embarrassed.

"That your mom has the best intentions. She wants you to be careful, and safe, and healthy. I don't think she's going overboard with the rules."

"Oh."

"And she loves you, Isabel Stanley Pines."

"She wouldn't have given me such a dumb middle name if she did..." She said, trying to brush it off and not burst into tears.

"Stanley is a girl's name too. It means near the stony meadow. And it was given with love to her first born, you know. It was the name of a very great man who once saved the world."

"R-really?"

"Your mom loves you. Look, you haven't eaten a single marshmallow..."

"Uh... I need some space Uncle Dipper." He smiled and nodded. He left the S'more supplies on her bed and went upstairs to greet his darlings.

Isabel crept out of her room, nabbing the bag of marshmallows. She went to the living room, where her mom was curled up, head on her knees.

"Mom...? Can I apologize?" Isabel asked quietly. Mabel looked up. She had been crying.

"I'm sorry for what I said... And I... I love you, mom." The nine year old admitted, almost crying too. A smile spread across Mabel's face.

"I love you so much sweetheart..." Mabel patted the arm of her chair and Isabel climbed up.

"...Want a marshmallow?" Isabel offered.

"Won't that spoil your appetite young lady?" Isabel bit her lip.

"You know what nevermind, pass me the bag, of course I want a marshmallow."

* * *

 **So I am toying with who else will have kids from the series. Soos and Melody are a must, see the story Adulting for additional details. Thinking Robbie with Tambry and Wendy with Thompson, and Candy with Idk... Wendy's middle brother probably. Let's call him Michael (My theory is Wendy's oldest brother is Danny like his father and the other three are Wendy, Michael, and John, like in Peter Pan). Any thoughts?**


	3. Accordion

**Good guess about Gideon and Pacifica! Yes, Pacifica is Dipper's deceased wife. No, Gideon is not going to be paired with Mabel. He has a somewhat sibling like relationship with the "original" twins now and is Uncle Gideon to Dipper and Mabel's kids.**

* * *

 ****"Daddy can I..." Jess was hardly ever shy but tended to be more reluctant when asking for things. Which Dipper found endearing. The six year old sat in his lap and he began to braid her hair. Mabel had taught him.

"You can ask me for anything Princess and I'll try my best to make it happen." That seemed to boost her confidence, and her sweet face scrunched up in concentration, trying to remember the exact thing she was asking for. A second too late he got suspicious.

"An accordion!" She announced. Dipper had tried quickly and tirelessly to kill his daughters' musical ambitions. When singing, they sounded like drowned rats. His beloved drowned rats, but drowned rats all the same. He had believed that Jess was content to take ballet and martial arts. No, she most definitely was... Something was up.

"Now sweetheart, why do you want an accordion?" Jess's face scrunched once more. Why did she want an accordion? Oh yeah!

"Because Meggy wants an accordion." She said matter of fact. Jess was an adorable little princess but she would never make it as a professional liar. Dipper didn't blame her or her sister for this stunt however. He and Mabel had done similar things to their parents. Dipper finished braiding Jess's hair.

"Is that all you wanted to ask me?"

"Yes daddy." Jess nodded, looking a little sleepy.

"You wanna get to bed?" Jess nodded and he stood up, cuddling her close. Meg was already in the room the twin shared, reading on her bottom bunk. Each apartment had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an office, a kitchen, and a living room dining room combo. Mabel had turned the office on her half of the house into Isabel's bedroom. The arrangement worked for everyone.

Dipper tucked his little girl in and ducked down to Meg's level, laying next to her on the bunk bed.

"Hey kiddo."

"Daddy!" She giggled, trying to push him off her bed.

"Get offffffffffffffffffffff." But she was laughing.

"So, you want an accordion."

"How did you know?" Her eyes were wide, looking at him like little kids look at their parents when they still believe mom or dad knows everything.

"That's my secret sweetie. I'm gonna have to say no to the accordion though. You're already so busy. Daddy wants to spend some time with his little girls." She giggled and nodded, hugging him tightly. Dipper's heart filled with a rush of warmth.

"I love you Megan North Pines." He whispered as he held her close. He could feel his Meg smiling. He brushed her hair back, kissing the constellation on her forehead.

"Daddy guess what?" The little girl said, barely holding in a yawn.

"What?" He asked, beaming, hoping that his relationship with his daughters was never severed. He secretly hoped they always looked at him like he was a superhero, even though he wasn't some kind of wizard like Mabel's ex. Meg hoped out of bed.

"I can do a cartwheel!" She announced excitedly. Dipper was dubious but nonetheless encouraged her. Meg proudly did a partial cartwheel and crashed quietly to the carpet, where she lay for a few moments, beginning to drift off. When Dipper thought she was almost asleep he began the arduous task of tucking her in with all 47 of her stuffed animals in order of how loved they were. Crocodile Pete, the least loved, would still cause a small breakdown if left out. Dipper looked down at his accomplishment with pride, kissed both foreheads, and was about to sneak out of the room when a little voice whispered at him.

"...daddy? why don't we have a mama?" Megan asked quietly. Dipper froze in his tracks, feeling guilty, trembling a little.

"Well, Meg... Your mama died." He could see Meg frowning without even looking at her.

"I don't like that..." She whined, barely audible as to not wake her twin.

"Me neither sweetpea. Good job on your cartwheel, now try to get some rest for daddy okay?"

"Okay daddy..." A small sigh escaped her lips. She was asleep.

Dipper moved silently through the room, plugged in their nightlight (which they didn't need but made him feel safer), and headed downstairs. His sister always kept better snacks than him. He headed into her kitchen, stopping short. He and his oldest nephew exchanged a look. Macon climbed down from the stool and passed the box of cookies to his Uncle, two cookies chipmunked in his cheeks and another in his hand. Macon pressed a finger to his lips and walked out with a slight limp. There was no way Dipper would tell Mabel. Fun Uncle meant too much to him. Besides, he was also stealing cookies.

Dipper took his sister's cookies and went to go sit on her couch and binge her Netflix. He found the shows on hulu to be more worth his money, there was this one about a paranormal town two kids visit for the summer by some guy with a dumb name like Alex Hearse or something. Maybe it was Hirsch. Not important. Right now he was settled in with chips ahoy to forget his sorrows and watch Sharknado 17, Shark the herald angels sing. The Sharknado series had seriously lowered its quality after number 12, Shark and Awe. But it helped him to forget about Pacifica, forget how happy they had been when they were married, how excited they had been when she was pregnant. And with twins. Their life was going to be so full. They were going to be the happiest couple ever. Even then things were falling apart between Mabel and her then husband Jeremy the wizard, but Dipcifica, Dipcifica was going to make it. That was the intent alright. But...

Dipper stuffed cookies into his mouth, staring blankly at the television screen, thinking about his daughter's last, innocent question...

"Daddy? Can I have a mama?"


	4. Elephant

**So, out of the blue, I was thinking about the Hogwarts houses my precious triplets would be in... Isabel is for sure a Slytherin, whereas Tyrone is Gryffindor and Macon is the epitome of Hufflepuff in my mind. Their father would be proud. Please review.**

* * *

Macon was the only one of Mabel's children who didn't excessively ask for things. Today Tyrone pitched this request, "Mom can we have an elephant?"

"Of course we can't have an elephant. Where would we put it Ty? Think smaller. Any ideas Mac?" Macon didn't really talk. He could, he absolutely could, but he'd been silent for a long time, even before he lost his toe. Macon shrugged. His head was full of ideas, but he rarely expressed them. He smiled though, just to let you know that there was something going on in that curly haired head of his. Mabel reached over to ruffle her boys' hair, which made Ty laugh and Mac smile wider.

"We could get a baby elephant," Ty pointed out.

"No, because baby elephants grow up. We can't get anything that will grow up to be humongous." Ty pouted.

"You're not being fair mom."

"I am too. This house is small enough. Your sister's room is barely a closet. We can neither afford nor fit an elephant."

"Oh fine. I'll think smaller..."

"Do either of you have homework?" Mabel asked quickly before her kiddos could wander off. Ty looked sheepish, he was a terrible liar.

"Uhhhhh..."

"I'll help if you want me to. What do you have? You too Mac." Mabel's voice drew her middle child back, he'd been about to sneak off. Mac was always sneaking off. She immediately regretted the decision, though, as she had nearly no idea how to do any of this third grade math junk. Sure, she could do calculus and beyond, but her kids were being taught total gibberish. What was this?

If only Dipper was here. He knew mindless information like this like it was the back of his hand. But he was at ballet practice with his ballerinas. Mabel had totally forgotten all this useless information from her childhood. She had more important things to remember. Birthdays, extracurriculars, visiting dates, bills, child support checks she had to yell about.

"Are you sure we can't have an elephant?"

"I'm sure sweetheart. Anyway, we've already got a pet, technically." Macon perked up.

"Aww... Mail doesn't count..." And Macon's shoulders drooped.

"Mail does too count!" Mabel said, defending the snail and the son who had made Mail come to be.

"He's _boring_." Tyrone whined.

"Magic things don't have to be interesting! Think of your father, he's absolutely tedious." Ty snorted, he thought it was funny when mom made fun of dad.

"Speaking of tedious, let's get back to math." Mabel gazed at the paper, a little frazzled.

"Mom is that right?" Ty asked, peering over the paper as she puzzled over a problem.

"Oh, I don't know. Got any problems about calculus? Physics? Fifteenth century art? Knitting?" Ty stared at her.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"Sorry... Sorry. College is still stuck in my head. Why don't we take a break and do something fun? Go get your sister Ty, Mac, go get your coat." Mac went off for his coat and Ty ran off to find Isabel and terrorize her into coming for a family fun day. Mabel momentarily considered blindfolding them for an extra element of fun, but Ty always got scared when she did that so she had stopped. Her children headed out to the car, Ty and Isabel squabbling over shotgun while Mac ducked into the back seat and picked up a comic that had been left there.

Mabel didn't really know where she was going, just driving for a little bit, when they wound up at the zoo. Good enough for her. It had been a while since they'd gone to the zoo... What had happened with that? She loved going to the zoo when she'd been a kid. She and Dipper had had so much fun comparing each other to various animals and animal smells. Of course she had taken her kids and nieces a handful of times, but not in over a year.

"Whoa! The Zoo! YES! Mom you're the best!" Ty cheered. Isabel looked kind of happy, which was a nice change of pace for her. Macon went with the flow. They began to walk through the exhibits, Mabel just taking in her kids' appreciation of the animals, when suddenly her own inner kid came out. It was time for an Official Pines Family Heist. Grunkle Stan would be so proud...

It was Mac who had tugged at her sweater and pointed at the elephant in despair. At least, it looked to be in despair. This wasn't exactly known to be the nicest Zoo around. It was the closest, though, and so they had come. Elephant mistreatment would not fly, however, for Mabel Pines and the triplet squad (the unofficial team name nearly equally as terrible as mystery twins-which Dipper and Mabel still didn't agree upon).

"Mom can we-"

"Yes, Ty, we're going to steal that elephant. But it is not coming home with us." Ty sighed.

"Fine." At least he was gonna touch a real live elephant. Macon poked him. Ty nodded suddenly and produced four ski masks to cover their face, passing them around.

"Do they have to be black, Ty? We're not the Addam's family."

"I want mine to be purple." Isabel chimed in. Ty rolled his eyes and changed her ski mask into purple. Mabel got dark pink, like her shooting star sweater had been. Macon got lime green, which he was pleased with. Ty's was red. The heist began like normal. How all Pines Family Heist's began. That is to say, the heist began as a disaster.

All heists must begin as a disaster. This one ended as a disaster, also. It wasn't that they didn't successfully steal the elephant. They totally did. They got it completely out of the zoo. It just broke Tyrone's arm with its trunk and then they got caught. And were totally banned from the zoo. Ah well. It was family fun day. Getting banned and broken were naturally part of family fun days.

Mabel hadn't seen her kiddos this happy in a long time. Stealing them an elephant had been a fantastic idea, and Mabel was the first one to get to sign her son's brand spanking new cast, which he was extremely proud of.

* * *

 **Comment if you want the backstory of Mail (Magic Snail) or anything else you'd like. Just comment.**


	5. Dysfunctional smiley face

**Meg is a Ravenclaw and Jess is another Hufflepuff. Mac and Jess have a little Hufflepuff gang. It's great.**

* * *

"Uncle Dipper! Can you sign my cast?!" Tyrone asked excitedly, presenting his broken arm as if it were a first prize trophy.

"Of course buddy. Do you have a sharpie?" Dipper signed the cast and left Ty with a little drawing of a dysfunctional smiley face, which Ty thought was the coolest thing. Then Ty rushed off to finish his homework.

Dipper then turned toward his slightly sheepish sister.

"I was gone for three hours. How did Ty break his arm in that short of time? And why is Macon wearing that awesome ski mask? What did you do?"

"Oh nothing."

"It's not nothing. You're not a good liar you always smile." Mabel laughed.

"Okay, okay, so while you were out doing pirouettes," She did an exaggerated twirl and fell back in her spinny chair,

"And rendezvous-"

"That's not a ballet term."

"Whatever! Anyway, while you were being a disco girl, we went to the zoo."

"Oh no... And?"

"And what? You don't believe my family could just visit the zoo?"

"If you had just visited the zoo you would have come home with cute plush animal souvenirs, not a cast." Mabel shrugged.

"So we might have gotten banned from the local zoo."

"Of course you did..." Dipper said, shaking his head but beginning to laugh.

"I'm going to go tuck the girls in, see you tomorrow, good night Mabel."

"Night Nerd Brain..." Mabel said, going to check on her kids herself. She went into Ty and Mac's room, making Ty sleep on the bottom bunk until his arm healed. Then she secured his nightlight, because he was still scared of the dark, kissed the foreheads of both boys, and begrudgingly wished sweet dreams to magic snail, who had lived happily in a tank at their bedside table for five years and got a new tank accessory every year for Christmas and birthday. Macon insisted Magic Snail had a birthday, and Mabel had done the same with Waddles.

Mabel said a quick good night to Isabel, who had made it clear when she'd been eight she was too old for goodnight kisses. That was fine, it hurt, but it was fine. She had memories to tuck in and kiss goodnight. She settled in to her favorite couch, coincidentally her only couch, mysteriously covered in crumbs of cookies she hadn't eaten, and flipped open her scrapbook. If her summer scrapbook had been dense that first Gravity Falls summer, her kids' scrapbook was denser still. Triple the kids, triple the pictures. She opened to the first page.

Baby pictures. Some with Jeremy. He had always been able to hold all three at once when they'd been babies. Mabel had had to practice. There were pictures of her holding them, pictures of them lying naked on soft blankets. And all kinds of matching outfits. Mabel was proud of all the creative outfits she'd had her kids wear. No one did Halloween better than the triplets.

There was a section dedicated to her children as four year olds. At that age, to supplement the lack of daddy, Tyrone had decided that they needed to fully embrace their magical side. And so he had found a twig to enchant, and suddenly he was a wizard with a magic wand. Isabel had taken to enchanting her toys and scaring her brothers with them, and Macon, for whatever reason, had chosen to enchant a snail. Magic Snail. Or Mail, for short. The name and origin of the garden snail was one of the first things he had communicated to them about through writing. And his carefully scribbled crayon note was pasted onto the page. Mabel was happy. She missed those kids, but they weren't different. Not that much. Isabel had changed the most, Tyrone the least. And Mac was... Mac. Mabel fell asleep draped across the couch, Dipper apparently having found her and moved her to her bed.

Mabel had been working around the house, getting rid of couch crumbs, paying bills, and stretching checks. Today was a day off from her part time job, and she had used her spare time to work on Halloween costumes, having decided against garlic knots, much to Mac's chagrin. She heard Meg and Ty arguing as they walked into the house, Jess riding atop Mac's shoulders. Mabel was pleased to see that Ty's cast was now covered in signatures, though, upon closer inspection she realized that it was just Macon's in different scripts with every sharpie color he owned. Nonetheless, Ty was proud of it. Of course, he wasn't allowed to say he had broken his arm during an elephant heist, but that didn't matter much to him.

"Homework!" Mabel called, met with some groans from her kids and nieces but not all that much resistance.

She began to pick up her knitting for the costumes again, scarves and sweaters for her kids, excitement beginning to fill her. Halloween was just around the corner, as October had just begun. She was so excited. Halloween made her feel like a kid again, and it was one of the things that all of her kids loved. And, of course, she was extra excited that trick or treating would take place in Gravity Falls. What a wonderful addition to the scrapbook.

She heard the landline ring, her youngest and oldest squabbling over who got to pick it up, knowing Isabel would win. A minute passed, with Mabel assuming it was a wrong caller who'd been dealt with. But the living room was a little too quiet, Mabel was a little suspicious, and tossed down her knitting to go check on them. She found her trio huddled around the phone, Isabel mouthing to her, it's dad. Mabel snatched the phone away and scattered her triplets, like shooing away seagulls.

"Why are you calling, Jeremy?" She asked.

"Hey sugar..." She could see that creepy smile of his as he said that, and shuddered. Yes, at one time she had loved Jeremy, but that had been forever ago.

"Do not call me Sugar."

"Aw, what happened to my Mabel Sugar? Why'd you turn sour?"

"I did not turn sour!" She snapped.

"Mm'kay. Whatever you say sunshine. I'll be in town over the weekend. Gonna come see the kids."

"You gave me zero warning!" Mabel raged indignantly, wanting to sink into sweater town.

"Nonsense, I'm warning you now. I don't want any trouble, I just want to spend time with my kids. Friday and Saturday. Don't even need to swing by the house."

"You can't call telling me on Thursday that you're coming Friday a proper warning."

"I'll pick them up from school, get a hotel room and they can spend the night with me and you can pick them up from lunch on Saturday. Sound okay?"

"You're not being reasonable, Jeremy, so I'm not going to reason with you. You cannot see my kids."

"Sorry sugar, the state says I can."

"Well, then, okay. But they stay here, and I go with you if you go anywhere."

"Fine. See you tomorrow Sugar."

"Stop calling me Sugar!" But he had already hung up. Mabel sank into her sweater, curled up on the couch. Again, she fell asleep there.


	6. Make up

"Mom, can I wear makeup today?" Isabel asked, peeking into her mother's bathroom as Mabel strained to apply the exact amount of makeup considered work appropriate. If she applied just a smidgeon more Creepy Kyle, the manager's basement dwelling son who cleaned the toilets at work would think that she was hitting on him. The thought nearly made her gag.

"Sure honey, what's the occasion?" Mabel had always made the rule that Isabel could wear Mabel's makeup with permission but wouldn't be allowed to own her own makeup until she was thirteen.

"I want to look good for dad today..." Isabel confessed. Mabel didn't say anything, but brought her daughter into the light and quickly did up Isabel's face, sending her kids off to school and then heading to work. She didn't want to think of her daughter's affection for their no good father, but she couldn't stop him from seeing their children. At least Isabel was excited. Ty could be stubborn and stingy when it came to forgiveness for their father. And Mac was getting harder to read. Nonetheless, she had work to do and couldn't be distracted. She worked mornings so she could be home when her kids and her nieces got home from school.

Dipper had offered to tag along, as things could get... Chaotic, when she was around her wizarding ex. However, she had declined the offer. It was only right that Dipper have the time to spend with his little cherubim. So Mabel rounded up her kiddos and herded them into her car.

They were meeting Jeremy at Hoo-ha's for pizza and games. AKA he was trying to pay his way back into his kids' hearts. It was sickening. Almost as sickening as the pizza. Yeah... Hoo-ha's was not as good as Mabel remembered from her childhood. Her kids still loved it. Especially with the sack of game tokens their father bribed them with. Ty ran off with the tokens, with Mac dragged along as hostage, looking reluctantly at the pizza he was torn from. Isabel stayed by her dad, who noogied her affectionately. Mabel inwardly harrumphed. Jeremy had no right to appear out of nowhere and try to purchase the approval of their triplets. It wasn't that hard with Isabel. Mabel stalked off to call and complain to Dipper.

"He's a monster! He disgusts me."

"What, what? Did he hurt the kids? Do I need to come over there and give him a piece of my mind? Or of my fist?"

"No, he's been more than decent to the kids. Trying to win their favor. Hoping for some kind of insta-fam with minimal to no effort. Lazy, ugly, good for nothing pig… Actually, I like pigs. Jeremy doesn't deserve to be called a pig. He's just a good for nothing slob."

"I know you hate him Mabel, I hate him too, but he did give you three wonderful kids. And sometimes you have to let him talk to those kids."

"I don't have to like the slob though."

"No one said you did."

"Good," She huffed, glancing over at where her daughter and ex were laughing together. She missed her daughter's laugh...

"Listen, I gotta go, I'm trying to cook dinner."

"Do not set fire to our house again!"

"I won't. I won't." Dipper said, laughing. Mabel couldn't manage a laugh herself. Slowly, with controlled breaths, she walked back to the table with Jeremy and Isabel. Immediately all conversation halted. Jeremy twiddled his thumbs.

"So... Sugar..." Mabel growled.

"Mabel," he relented, "how is little Dipper?"

"I don't like your attitude or your nicknames, bub."

"Bub? Who's giving lame nicknames now?"

"Still you!"

"Mom. Dad. You're embarrassing me." Isabel said, looking frustrated.

"I'm going to check on the boys." Jeremy stood and exited stage left. Isabel's head fell toward her arms, which were crossed on the table.

"You ran him off again..." Isabel said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"Every time you and him are around each other you fight and he leaves! I never get to spend anytime with him because of you."

"Well, he's here now by the Pacman machine. Spend time with him now." Mabel said bitterly. Isabel left the table, and Mabel rested her head on it. A minute later, Mac had joined her. He rested his arm around her shoulder and silently supported her. Ty came back over with an armful of prize counter prizes, offering his brother and mom the pick of the kill. Mabel smiled sadly at her sons, choosing a slap bracelet out of nostalgia as Macon placed a stuffed animal dragon on his shoulder. Mabel wrapped her arms around those kiddos and squeezed them tight in thanks. The stuffed animal fell off of Macon's shoulder and onto the sticky restaurant floor. Then, as Mac was reaching for it. it got stepped on by Jeremy returning. Macon looked as wounded as the poor dragon, who he held tenderly, as if it t'were real. Ty, grinning, offered his sister a plastic tiara. But he was shunned by Isabel, who, in the short time spent with her dad had become too good for them.

"How about we go to the park and hang out?" Jeremy said, trying unsuccessfully to lighten the tense mood.

"Sure." Mabel grumbled, drained of all energy and still ticked offed. They headed into the parking lot.

"Hey, kid. Why don't you talk to me? I've been trying to get you to talk all evening. What gives?" Jeremy was badgering Macon, who looked a little petrified.

"Don't bug him Jeremy. He doesn't like to talk."

"I can see that. What'd you do to the boy Mabel?"

"Oh come on! This is not on me. It's your fault Mac doesn't talk."

"Sure, okay. Face it, Mabel, you're clearly out of touch with them."

"I'm out of touch? You're never around. You know nothing about them."

"I know that Izzy asked to live with me." Mabel froze, her world collapsing in on itself.

"...She didn't. You're just trying to make me mad..." She accused, screeching a little. She kind of forgot that Mac was between them.

"I told you sugar, you're out of touch with them." Mabel punched him in the jaw for that, but he was taller, stronger, angrier. He looked ready to beat the crud out of her. Just as he moved to strike...

"Stop!" Macon screamed, his voice a little scratchy for lack of use, a force field up around him and Mabel for added protection. Mabel brought her middle into her arms and began to rapid fire apologies, feeling so foolish. He could have gotten hurt because of her fight with his father. Mabel had decided a long time ago that she wouldn't let her kids be hurt. Especially not by her or her ex-husband.

"Begone beast!" Ty said courageously, chucking prize counter prizes at Jeremy until Macon reached out and dragged him into the protective force field bubble. Jeremy huffed, and it looked like he was just going to take Isabel, Mabel near tears as she held out her arms for her baby girl.

"Uh... Dad... I... I think I'll at least finish out the school year here..." Isabel mumbled, unable to admit that she wanted to stay with her mom, or that she hated being called Izzy. Mabel nodded, and drove her babies home.

She made sure her boys were tucked in and on their way to dreamland, the little stepped on dragon still clutched in Mac's arms. Tonight he had spoken for the first time in years, and it had shocked Mabel. She'd have to tell Dipper about it. Then she quietly walked down the hall to check on Isabel, who was soundly sleeping already. As her daughter dozed, Mabel gently wiped the makeup off her face. Then, kissing Isabel's forehead, she headed off to bed herself.

* * *

 **Merry Christmas**


	7. Halloween candy

"Mom can we get going already? There won't be anything left but loser candy by the time we get there." Isabel was griping because her younger cousins had started trick or treating ten minutes ago. Their friend Berto had posted a snap of him chaperoning the twin girls.

It had gone like this. The second Jess and Meg were all dressed up as the mystery twins they'd been out the door. The first stop? Soos and Melody's home, the mystery shack. Meg flew out of the car and up the steps and knocked, burning with excitement. The door swung open to reveal 13 year old Roberto "Berto" Jesús Ramirez, whom she adored beyond belief.

"Hey kiddo!" He said, scooping her up and twirling her. Her Dipper hat fell off. She was giggling and hugged him.

"Berto! Are you coming trick or treating with us?" She asked imploringly as he set her gingerly back down and plopped the hat back on her head.

"Gee, kiddo, I was going to hand out candy."

"We can hand out candy just fine Berto. You should take the girls." Melody had only been able to have one kid, having complications when they tried for a second as well as before having Berto. So she always encouraged him to spend time with the twins and the triplets.

"Okay, thanks mom." Roberto reached out and hugged his mother. Being a teenager hadn't really hit him, at least, he wasn't moody and rude. To Melody, he was still her little boy. Soos wrapped his arms around Melody and kissed her cheek, then waving Dipper over.

"Hey, dude. Berto's taking the girls trick or treating so you can hang out with us and try to scare trick or treaters."

"Okay," Dipper said reluctantly, asking Roberto to take lots of pictures for him. Soos then crouched down in front of Jess and Meg, holding out both fists for a simultaneous twin fist bump.

"You dudes look awesome." He complimented.

"Thank you Uncle Soos!" Jess said, beaming.

"Make sure you hold Berto's hand while crossing the street!" Dipper called after them nervously, before being dragged into the Mystery Shack by his friends.

Meg held Berto's hand even when they weren't crossing the street. He didn't seem to mind. They had pillowcases to fill before the night was over and the jack-o-lanterns went out. She chattered to him about basically everything as they walked the familiar streets, getting compliments from people who remembered the original mystery twins and questions from those who didn't and candy from everyone in between.

"Last year Jess and I were um..." She looked to her sister to remember.

"Elsa and Anna!"

"Oh yeah. She was Elsa and I was Anna."

"That's cool," Berto nodded, smiling. His pun was intended.

"Last year I dressed as Darth Vader for Halloween." He told them, ruffling Jess's hair with his free hand.

"Who's that?" Meg asked. His jaw dropped.

"You haven't seen Star Wars?"

"Tricked you!" She giggled. Berto chuckled.

"Last year Mac and Isabel and Ty were rock paper scissors."

"That's pretty funny."

"Why aren't you dressed up this year?" Meg asked, clutching his hand.

"I felt a little too old for Trick or Treating. But not too old to hang out with my two favorite girls."

"Three, I'd hope." Isabel said, as she appeared from behind.

"Nice costumes, guys." Berto said appreciatively, taking in their Hogwarts getups, each triplet to their own house. Mac in a Hufflepuff yellow and black scarf Mabel had made, Ty in Scarlet and Gold, and Isabel in green and silver, all dressed as impeccable young wizards, which technically they were, and, armed with pillowcases and fake wands with real enchantments from the family trip to Universal Studios Hollywood last June.

"Hey, Isabel, do you think your mom could make me a Huffleclaw scarf?" Berto considered himself a bit of a mixed bag and would either need two scarfs, one bronze and blue and one yellow and black, or a scarf sporting all four colors, to feel at home.

"You're so extra. No sorting hat would name you a Huffleclaw."

"That is where you're wrong. I have made 100 different emails to take the quiz 100 different times and gotten a fifty fifty split of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. You can call me Ravenpuff or Huffleclaw interchangeably but I am both. Rowling herself has claimed the relevence of hybrid houses." Meg giggled.

"It's not practical for the series."

"We don't live in some fictional world though. I'm a Huffleclaw."

"A hundred emails Isabel. Just let him be a Huffleclaw." Ty advised.

"You're like me and Jess Berto! I'm a Ravenclaw and Jess is a Hufflepuff and Mac is obviously a Hufflepuff too and-" Ty cut her off.

"And Gryffindor is going to school all the other houses' butts off." Ty and Isabel set to squabbling about house points, but didn't let it get away of their candy collecting.

"Do you think the kids are having a good time?" Dipper asked as he sat at the kitchen table and nervously watched the clock.

"Course they are bro bro, they're miniature versions of us and we were the best at Halloween." Melody brought in hot chocolate as Soos got rid of the rest of that year's candy to the last few costumed kids.

"Don't worry Dipper, they're in good hands." She reassured, placing a steamy mug in front of each and sitting down, smiling.

"I know. This is just the first Halloween I haven't walked with them."

"I understand." Melody said kindly, as Soos came in, grinning.

"I saved the best candy for you my dear," He said, getting down on one knee and offering her a kit kat.

"Thank you." Then Melody had to help him back up. A minute later they heard voices coming through the door. Ty and Isabel still arguing houses.

"Technically," Berto said as they walked inside,

"We would go to Ilvermorny." All except Roberto were weighed down with candy, Jess and Meg wearied from the night.

"Hey Aunt Mabel can you make me a Huffleclaw scarf?"

"Sure, it can be your Christmas present." Berto fist pumped the air as Dipper said goodbye and thank you and herded his girls home. As he buckled them both in, Meg started falling asleep. He thought she was totally wiped out when he heard a little voice from the backseat.

"Daddy? Can I have this hat?" It was his hat, the hat from his summer adventures. It meant a lot to him, represented so much.

"Of course sweetheart." But not as much as the kids in the back meant to him.

* * *

 **I personally am a slytherpuff.**


	8. Business Cards

**This is a good chapter but wait until you see the next one. It's unwritten, but it will be great too.**

* * *

 ****  
 _Hi! The name is Macon Elijah Pines. No, I am not deaf or mute, however I prefer not to speak._

 _I am the middle of triplets, one brother and sister._

 _Do you want to be my friend?_

 _Yes_

 _Definitely_

 _Absolutely  
_  
Macon used all of his Christmas money to have a hundred of these explanatory business cards printed up for anyone who had questions about his silence. He was especially excited about the friendship possibilities. Dipper and Mabel thought the business cards were adorable. Now Ty wanted some.

"Mom, can I have business cards too?" Tyrone begged.

"What would yours say?"

"Tyrone Alexander Pines, professional magician and elephant wrangler."

"First of all no one who isn't family can find out about your powers, second of all if you can write an appropriate business card and afford it then by all means. I'll drive you to the Copying store." Ty pumped his fists and ran out of the room excitedly. He had already used all of his Christmas money to buy pet supplies for their late Christmas present, a shelter dog they were going to get at the end of this chapter. But he knew that Isabel hadn't spent a cent. So he ran to petition his sister for a loan.

Isabel was in her room painting Meg and Jess's toe nails.

"Isabel can I borrow money to make business cards?"

"No, why would I loan you money for something as dumb as that?"

"Mac did it. Are you saying Mac is dumb?"

"No, Mac is likable. People will like his little cards. And his serve a purpose. But yours will just get tossed in the trash." Tyrone stood their trembling, glancing around her room. He saw in her own trash bin the crown he had given her last time dad visited them. He burst into tears.

"Why are you always such a jerk to me?! I'm your brother!" And he stormed off, forcefully slamming the door using his powers and fleeing to his shared bedroom. Isabel was stunned. They had always teased and squabbled. She felt horrible for crossing a line. She stood and glanced around, allowing her cousins to finish nail painting on their own if they were careful. She saw the tiara in the trash and felt a twinge of guilt- it had fallen in, not been tossed. She knew what she had to do.

"You should go comfort him for me." She told Macon. Mac and Ty were best buds. Macon would know how to handle this. Mac shook his head and pointed towards the room, the message clear. This was for Isabel to do herself. She straightened the crown on her head and walked inside.

The room was dark. Ty hated the dark. Focusing in she made a glow begin to illuminate the room from within her, instead of turning on the light. Then she began climbing up the bunk bed ladder. He didn't look at her.

"Hey... Come on. I want to talk to my favorite little brother." She nudged him. He grumbled.

"Macon's not in here. He's in your room painting Meg and Jess's nails."

"I didn't mean him- wait how did you know that?"

"I am connected to my brother." He said sharply, clearly wishing she'd go away.

"But not me?"

"No."

"Because I'm a huge jerk?"

"Yes."

"I know I am. It's hard having two crazy brothers and sometimes I have a really hard time expressing myself."

"Mmph." He muttered, hugging a pillow. Still crying.

"I care about you ya dork..."

"You don't." He accused.

"I do. Look at me." Ty reluctantly glanced up, seeing the tiara.

"Why'd you throw it in the trash?" He had to ask.

"It fell Ty. It fell into the trash can on its own. I love this tiara."

"Why? It's plastic and fake."

"It's from my little brother."

"Hmph."

"Look, I see you don't believe me so this is how things will be from now on. We'll still bicker about everything, I won't let you have shotgun unless you call it fair and square, I won't give you money for business cards and you'll still be Stinkbutt to me. But every time I start to really cross a line and hurt you, every time the jerk side of me comes out full force... Tell me. I'm going to try to be a better sister."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You're just going to have to trust me and hold me accountable."

"I need more proof."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Blood swear."

"Blood swear? We haven't done that since we were four. It's weird and gross."

"Blood swear." He insisted.

"Okay, but mom can't find out." He looked at her like she was crazy.

"We aren't four, we're not going to do it with rusty knives like last time. A pin prick should be fine." She looked relieved. The last time they'd done it, they'd been four and gotten in serious trouble after they'd gotten mild tetanus. She looked at his hand, covered in tiny little pin prick scars.

"You and Mac do this all the time, don't you?" She accused, eyebrow raised. He blushed and nodded. She was, for a moment, wistful that she didn't have a relationship with them like what they had with each other. She couldn't imagine that crumbling apart.

"Yeah."

"You want to come do your nails with Mac and the twins and I?" More blushing, and a nod. Why not? They hung out and nail painted until Mabel got back from the grocery store.

"Guys, we're going to the animal shelter now!" Mabel yelled through the house. All four of them piled into the car. As the most enthusiastic of the bunch, Ty was obviously the first to fall in love with a dog, and soon Smiley Pines was a part of the family, a labrador almost as big as the short and scrawny kid Ty was. Even though it was a family pet, Smiley was definitely going to be Ty's dog.


	9. Mail's funeral (RIP Magic Snail)

**Oh I have big plans for this story. Or at least medium sized plans.**

* * *

 ****  
"MOM WE NEED TO HAVE A FUNERAL NOW." Tyrone screamed as he ran through the house. Nothing quite gets the attention of a parent like those words. Mabel and Dipper, who had been discussing important adult things (and totally not complaining about Disney remakes), jumped up.

"What happened who's dead are you hurt where are your siblings?!" She asked frantically, lightly shaking her youngest.

"Smiley ate Magic Snail." Ty said, appearing appropriately horrified.

"Does Mac already know?" Mabel asked, her heart sinking. Her middle child would be devastated. The entered into the crime scene, and Macon was there, glaring at his brother. Ty gulped.

"Yep." He said in a small voice.

They held the funeral. It was a quiet, respectful affair. Mac repurposed the tux from his first grade graduation, which would have been comical as he had grown, had the cause not been so serious. Ty still fit pretty easily into his first grade tux, and was dressed similarly. He had not said a word since telling Mabel. Mabel gave some remarks at the funeral about how loyal Magic Snail had been to the family, and that he would be missed. Isabel was the only person who cared significantly less about all of this, but she kept her head down and mouth shut for the sake of her brother.

Mac's quiet was louder than usual. It felt as if he had suffocated the air around him and was walking around with a cloud of gloom. He was sad, and he was angry. Ty was distraught because his brother and best friend was furious at him, and he didn't think the anger would ever end. Isabel thought it would blow over really quick though, misjudging his emotional depth. She was sitting by the counter in the kitchen eating cheerios.

"He's not going to school today? Really?" Because of a snail?" She scoffed. Mac had paused outside of the kitchen door, listening. He listened very well.

"Just get him a tub of frosting of something, he'll be over it in a few minutes." The door creaked open, and Mac stepped in.

"Actually, I don't think frosting will help." Mac said, causing gasps from Mabel, Ty, and Isabel. Mac hadn't even said words at the funeral.

"But I understand that you wouldn't understand the loss of one of my very best friends. One of my anchors in a very difficult life that you did not have to endure. I have the words to explain it to you but you think of me as a dumb and easily distracted imbecile so I won't even try to pierce your cold heart with my emotions." He didn't raise his voice but it shook with anger. All three of them gaped, but before anyone could say anything he had turned away and walked out. And kept walking. No one knew where he was going except for him.

"Y-you heard him too?" Isabel stuttered.

"Yes. You were out of line with your comments Isabel Stanley Pines. You were very insensitive and it hurt your younger brother."

"I'll tell him sorry when he comes back." Mabel nodded, but she was concerned. A few hours passed, and Mac wasn't back yet. More cause for concern. Soon they were searching the town for him, all six of them. Then Mabel got a phone call.

"He is? We're coming. Thank you so much. I'm so sorry. We'll be there in an hour."

One hour later, Isabel and Ty were watching their twin cousins and Mabel and Dipper were driving towards the most suffocatingly Southern home they had ever been in. The whole place smelled like biscuits and stereotypes. Katherine opened the door.

"Sugar!"

"Hi Katherine. Mac's in here?"

"Yeah, he's on the couch in the parlor. Gideon's with him. Do y'all want some sweet tea?"

"No thanks." They headed into the parlor. Katherine was a real live Southern Belle and she and Gideon were actually made for each other. Dipper had asked the slightly younger man on his wedding day if he had actually created Katherine but she had a pretty compelling background so Dipper had backed off.

Gideon was sitting by Mac, kind of staring at the boy.

"Hey Gideon. Thanks for taking care of him." Gideon and looked at Mabel, then past Mabel to his pregnant wife. He pointed at Mac.

"I'm going to have one of those." He whispered, frazzled.

"Yeah. And your kid will be adorable because that's realistically the only thing they could be in this house." Mabel said, reaching out to ruffle Mac's curly dark reddish orange hair. he looked a lot like his father. Isabel looked more like Mabel and Tyrone was a fair mix of the two, but Mac looked like Jeremy. Katherine left, insistent on getting sweet tea.

"What if I fail?" Gideon asked.

"You keep going. Everyone fails. Just don't give up. Giving up is the worst mistake you can make." Mabel said, as Dipper gingerly picked up his nephew.

"I'm glad he came to me, instead of Jeremy." Gideon said suddenly, as they were about to leave, sweet tea in solo cups. Mabel stopped still.

"He wouldn't go to Jeremy." She said that much definitively. Mac was out like a light. Teleporting was exhausting. When he woke up he would be famished. Until he got stronger he wasn't supposed to do things like that, same with the other triplets, big magic was frowned upon because it was especially draining.

"Bye Gideon. Thank you again." Then, with a curt nod they left with Mac. After getting him buckled into the back Mabel took the wheel of her car and gripped it. She was nervous, there was a lot on her mind and part of her wanted to hide in a sweater and never come out. She worried not only of failing, as Gideon did, she worried of weightier matters.

"Mason?" She asked quietly. She never used his real name. No one ever did. His head shot up.

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about him. What if Bill infiltrates his mind? I'm not worried about the others... He's different, you know?"

"Yeah. He's a good kid. But good people shake Bill's hand too." Dipper said, reflecting on his own past. Mabel nodded.

"Have I failed?"

"You only fail when you give up. And you're not alone." Mabel nodded, unclenching her hands from the steering wheel and using one of them to lightly punch Dipper.

"Thanks bro bro."


	10. Phone

**Twin centered episodes to come, and sometime after that I'm thinking that we'll learn for good why Mac doesn't talk. I mean, I know, but you guys don't. *laughs and points at you guys* just kidding. No laughing and pointing. And for the one person who commented last chapter- thank you! Wendip won't happen, though it's an interesting idea, I just have never really felt it.  
**

* * *

"Let me know if you need anything, bud. I know things are hard right now, and you're not feeling so hot. I'll be here all day to take care of you." Mac gave half a smile and wrote down, _My list of demands is short._ Mabel laughed and went to see her other babies off to school with Uncle Dipper. They usually rode the bus but she had almost lost her middle child and was taking no chances. When she got down to where her kids were waiting on Dipper she saw something baffling. They were holding hands and whispering. Ty and Isabel were day and night- completely different and totally apart. Macon was the dusk that brought the two together. If they were hand holding and whispering either someone had lost another toe, or they were doing this because of him. Mabel, fully knowing this could only spell mischief, did what any good mom would do.

She took a picture. Okay, five. Scrapbooking! Then Dipper hurried out the door with his daughters, screaming.

"Late!" He yelped like a banshee. And the moment between Ty and Isabel unravelled into unparalleled shoving and name calling. Mabel still took a few more pictures before returning to smother Mac, checking his temperature in a paranoid manner and pushing his hair back. He pushed her away but not in any way that indicated him actually wanting her to stop.

"Have you thought of anything that would make you feel better?" He held up a decorated sign that declared: _A phone._ Mabel frowned, she was a bit old fashioned, and hadn't wanted to get her kids phones until they were a little older.

"You know the rule, Macon. And you're not getting one until your siblings do." He nodded and presented the other side of the page. It said: _Everyone has a phone._

"Not everyone." He presented the next page, very prepared. _The twins have a phone._

"Your uncle parents differently than I, which means he tracks his daughters with a cell phone. I don't do that. I trust you guys." Just then she got a phone call from the school, and a few minutes later she was driving to the school to get her triplets. Who she trusted. It was barely even second hour, so it was clear that her children had joined forces to get in trouble. Mabel couldn't even be furious, though, because she had a feeling why they did it. Instead, she pulled into Little Caesar's parking lot and turned towards her children.

"Did you get in trouble so you'd be sent home for the day so you could spend the day with Mac?" She accused, not at all mad.

"Yes-" Ty blurted. Isabel whacked him. Mabel laughed.

"I love you guys. Let's get a pizza for lunch. I'm not mad because you're not suspended or expelled and because you had your brother at heart. Isabel, have you apologized to him yet?"

"Not yet... I will when we get home. I promise I will."

"Good. And Ty?"

"...I hope he forgives me."

"I'm glad you two are with me anyway, because I need a little help. We're going to get Mac a turtle."

"Whoa!" Ty said, looking impressed.

"It's a bit of a stretch for our budget, but I think that it will be a really nice surprise for him, and we already have the tank from Magic Snail. I appreciate you cleaning it out yesterday, Isabel." Isabel blushed. She'd decided that a start for making her insensitivity up to Mac would be to clean Mail's tank. She'd gotten her brother to break silence to tell her off, so she knew she'd screwed up big time. And Mac didn't deserve to be screwed with. Mac had never hurt anybody. So they brought the turtle home and surprised Mac with it. He grinned.

 _Thank you mama, and Isabel and Ty._

"Hey, Mac? I'm sorry I was insensitive yesterday." He scribbled down _I forgive you._ She let out a sigh of relief.

"What are you gonna name your turtle?" Ty asked, excited for his brother. Mac leaned back and thought, holding the small turtle while mom filled the tank, and studying it to seek the answer.

 _Monty._

"Good name sweetheart." Mabel said, kissing his head. Macon blushed a little, unused to quite this level of affection. Mabel was always affectionate toward her children, but often she was too busy to smother entirely. Ty seemed completely approving of the new turtle's new name, and even Isabel nodded in agreement. Macon glanced around the room, and seeing his siblings rallied around, made a plea for a phone once more.

"Yeah, mom. We could use phones..." Isabel pointed out. She let out a wearied sigh.

"I know, I know, you all want phones. Your tenth birthday is coming up, and as soon as the money is there for three reasonably priced phones, you'll each get one. Deal? I'm doing this because I'd like to keep in touch with you and make sure that none of you go running off." She gave Mac a pointed look, and he blushed, standing, much to his family's protests as he was still recovering from heavy magic use, and placing Monty in his new tank, whispering imperceptibly, "mail would have wanted you there." No one heard him but the turtle, neither were going to come fully out of their shell.

"Get some rest, Mac, I'll come check on you in a little bit." Mac looked like he was about to say something, but his lips pursed, and he went back to bed. One day, maybe, he'd start talking again. One day... Maybe when he was ten, maybe later, maybe sooner. Either way, today was not that day.


	11. Boyfriend

**I think this chapter is pretty cute! The next chapter is twin centered as well. I love writing those cuties. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and review if you have any comments, suggestions, discouragements, or encouragements.  
**

* * *

"Aunt Mabel, how old were you when you had your first boyfriend?" Meg asked, Jess following behind, equally curious.

"Between four and eight, if you count my preschool husband, then I was four. If not, then I'm not sure." Meg nodded, soaking in the information.

"Aunt Mabel, do you think that I could have a boyfriend?"

"Well, I wouldn't let my daughter date when she was your age, and I won't let her date now, either, and I shouldn't think your dad would be much different, Button." Mabel lightly booped Meg's nose. Meg was Button and Jess was Pumpkin, and she loved her nieces fervently and equally. Meg looked frustrated.

"But I love him!"

"Love who, Button?" Meg clamped up. Jess did not.

"Berto." She said, helpful and innocent. Mabel's eyes widened and she suppressed the urge to laugh. Frankly, it was absolutely adorable and she looked forward to gushing to Melody about this. Meg poked Jess, who hated that.

"Don't tell, Jess!" She hissed, trying to whisper but failing.

"Sorry, sorry…" Jess mumbled guiltily, poking her sister right back. Mabel was reminded of her and Dipper when they were younger. Or last Wednesday when they'd been arguing about whose turn it was to renew her Netflix account, which he used arguably more than her. Pokes had been thrown.

"Berto's kind of old," Mabel pointed out carefully.

"But he's awesome!" Meg argued.

"I know, but he's more than twice your age, Button."

"Seven years isn't that many." Meg said, quickly doing the math in her head.

"It is now. Your dad used to be in love with a girl who was three years older than him, and they were unable date because of the age difference."

"Then daddy met mommy!" Meg added, excitedly. Mabel nodded sadly. She and Pacifica had become good friends, and losing her had hit everyone hard.

"Aunt Mabel? Have you been in love?"

"More times than you can count, Button. I gave my heart away a billion times over."

"Does it hurt? To give your heart away?" Jess inquired. Mabel smiled sadly and ruffled the blonde girl's hair.

"At times it hurt so bad that I wanted to hide away in my sweater forever, and at other times it was like living in a good dream." Mabel began to rummage through a drawer, pulling out a silver charm bracelet.

"Button, Pumpkin, hold out a hand, right next to each other, there you go." She draped the braced over their hands.

"See this? A boy I loved got this for me. I thought it was just the most romantic gesture ever, however, and remember this girls, no boy is perfect. No girl, either. The boy who gave this to me let me down. He made a terrible, dangerous decision, and even if he still loved me after what he did, I could not forgive his carelessness. I kept this bracelet to try to remind myself not to give my heart just to anyone. But I don't need it anymore, I have other reminders to be careful now. I want you two to share it." Meg and Jess nodded, staring up with their owl eyes, the bracelet big against their little kid hands. Mabel watched them hold it gingerly, as if it meant the world.

"I understand first crushes, kiddos. And Berto is a wonderful boy. But don't give away your hearts so early." Jess promised, and Meg hesitated.

"If you think so…" She finally said, giving her aunt a smile, and soon four little arms were wrapped around her, and she hugged them back with all her might. Then she watched the two girls run off, squabbling over who got to wear the bracelet first, poking each other as they went.

When their laughter was farther away, Mabel sat down in her chair and reflected on what she had told them. There were days when she missed Mermando, Gabe, Norman, Ethan, Jeremy and all the other boys of her past. She knew that all of those guys had caused her heart immense pain, but they'd all also taught her something, and strengthened her heart every time she put the pieces back together. She wanted a better future for herself, for her nieces, for her kids. So she guarded her heart, because right now, it was full. It was full of Macon and Isabel and Tyrone. It was full of Dipper and his two little angels. It was full of all of her friends. And… Speaking of friends… She hit CALL Melody, laughing quietly to herself. She had a feeling Melody would get just as much of a kick out of it as she did that Meg was head over heels for Berto.

"Hey, what's up?" Melody asked when she answered.

"Are you busy?"

"Nah, Soos is handling the Shack right now, and I can take a quick break from bills."

"Good, because I have the cutest thing to tell you."

"Really? Shoot."

"I just found out that Meg has the hugest crush on Berto." Melody burst out laughing.

"I knew it! I totally knew it. Whenever they're over she just hangs off of him. I tease him about his 'girlfriend' all the time. He doesn't mind. Did you let her down easy, though?"

"Yeah, she agreed not to go chasing guys for awhile. It's weird, I've never had any talks like that with Isabel…"

"Well, I've never had to have any talks like that with Berto, either. I don't think he'll be a heartbreaker. I think he'll find someone and devote his entire being to them, like Soos." Melody sounded so full, so happy.

"Well, I hope he finds the same. And I hope that Isabel follows in someone else's footsteps, rather than me and her father."

"Ah, you'll find someone Mabel."

"Thanks, but I don't know if I'm looking right now. After the divorce I thought, when the kids are older. And now they are… And I don't know if my heart has room for anyone else. Or maybe it's just too hardened to let someone else in."

"Mabel, in the time I've known you, you've been the most loving and caring person I know. I don't think you have to look. When you meet the right person, you will easily find more room in your heart for them." Mabel was stunned by the words. She faltered for a response.

"Th-thank you." She finally managed.


	12. Imaginary? Friend

**Okay guys! This is kind of a big chapter, and it is also the beginning of a quick story hiatus, which means a couple things. First things first, I will be completing the next two or three chapters of Sev'ral timez being cute got me out of prison (and other oddness). That story only has three chapters left in it anyways, with the first two absolutely necessary to write for me to feel great about continuing this one. It's no big deal. Secondly we're doing quality control on my tendency to hit publish so quickly, going through all of the chapters in this lovely publications and fixing errors as well as little contradictions in the timeline. Lastly, and this is the very best news, I'll be writing out more of a plan so I can keep this super enjoyable story going. Thanks for reading!  
**  
 **Also it might be helpful to read Trying some things, which is Dipcifica and directly relates to this chapter.**

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 ****Dipper was a dance mom, well he played one, as they practiced for the recital in just one month. They'd carpooled from 1st grade and so he picked them up afterward, and was sitting with the other dance moms. They chattered and gossiped and talked about birthday parties, recital costumes, girl scout cookies and more. Dipper felt just as out of place as he imagined his girls felt. Magically no invites came for parties, and their costumes were always someone else's hand me down dresses, instead of the new ones. Dipper hated that, because of course he could pay for new costumes but he never knew the day for ordering or the girls' specific measurements so they always got stuck with the lamest ones. Jess was utterly unaffected by the snub, was friendly to all the girls anyway. She would make friends with inanimate objects if she had the time. Meg felt the sting of snubbery a little bit more. Dipper always tried to shower the both of them with affection whenever possible. Like now, as they exited the class, giggling to themselves until they saw daddy and then running over.

"My Princesses! How was your day honey buns?" He hugged them and kissed their heads like he hadn't seen them in four or five years.

"It was really good daddy. We played castle on the playground and I was a knight and Jess was a dragon and we had oranges for a snack and we learned about multiplication."

"And I drawed a lot!" Jess added excitedly, a budding artist.

"That's awesome. And I saw you dancing. You're so good! I thought I was watching professional ballerinas. The recital is going to be absolutely amazing." They giggled and smiled.

"Daddy we aren't _professionals_ yet." Meg said, extremely serious.

"But I bet you will be. Let's go home." He buckled his kids into their car-seats and prepared to get going.

"Got everything? Backpacks, clothes to change into, are we all good?"

"Yeah!" Two voices chorused from the back.

"Great!" He smiled into the rear-view, looking at his daughters before he started. Then there was a chill in the air and he thought he saw Bill. He gasped and jerked his head backwards. It was just his two sweet daughters. He was still so shaken though. He had to focus on taking deep breaths as he continued home. Bill couldn't have his girls. Never ever. He drove home, not uttering a word as his kiddos chattered.

Dinner was just the three of them, as Mabel was rewarding report cards with pizza, so Dipper made a simple stove top macaroni and cheese, a little less stressed about his daughters' well being. His mind was too jumbled most of the time, too full of paranormal thoughts and normal normal thoughts, bills and his babies and his babies' homework and tomorrow's work, which is also part of his paranormal thoughts. His head was so full sometimes that he was terribly paranoid about everything.

"Daddy come see my drawing of my new friend!" Jess called.

"Okay sweetheart just let me finish up dinner." He adds salt and pepper to taste with boyish flamboyance. Then he dished up three plates and headed into the living room/dining room combo. He plops down the three plates and forks, ruffling two heads of hair. One brown like his, one blond like their mother.

"What did you draw?" He asked sweetly. She turned around the crude picture of a tall man with a short top hat and a bow tie and strange eyes.

"My new friend!" She said cheerfully.

"It's lovely Jess," He kissed her head then Meg's. He's happy. He doesn't think about it now. Not yet. He checks their homework, cuts short screen time, reads a soft bedtime story and tucks in little girls and littler stuffed animals. He's so tired that he goes to bed as soon as they do.

Around midnight he explodes out of bed terror dripping down his face.

"Bill." He whispers. That's what the face on Jess's picture looked like. The one that was on _their_ fridge right _now_. He scrambled to the kitchen, hardly bothering with the kitchen light, because the street lamp was enough to see the eyes almost glow in the dark. He began to weep, thinking of the hold the triangular demon had already had on his life and Mabel's. The sleepless nights and vivid nightmares and the constant _constant_ fear. There was a massive lump in his throat as the tears came streaming down. And then there was a creak of the floorboards. His head snapped towards the sound, and he saw Jess standing there, head down.

"Sweetie, go back to bed." He said, his voice barely a whisper over the roar of fear. Her head raised, eyes that were not hers opened.

"I don't think so Pine Tree." He screamed in terror, his fatherly instincts fighting through his paralyzing fear. He scrambled towards Jess, crying out.

"Fight baby, fight him. Come back. Wake up!" He grabbed her, hugged her thrashing body. She fought hard against him, screaming nonsense, backwards mumbo jumbo he thought. He'd studied these things, but didn't care now as Cipher shrieked inside his daughter's struggling body. Then it goes still.

"Daddy why are you crying?" The little voice asked, arms wrapping around her daddy's neck.

"Dipper?" Mabel asked from the doorway, having heard the screams.

"Wake your sister and get dressed sweetie," Dipper said gently, kissing her head. Jess ran off. Mabel knew exactly what he was planning.

"Dipper, no. This is not a good idea."

"Bill had my daughter tonight, I heard his voice from her mouth. Precautionary measures, Mabel." He sounded so scared, and so stubborn.

"I'm scared too Dipper, but they're six years old and they aren't you.."

"I'm doing what's best." He insisted, essentially brushing her off.

"Dipper, I'm begging you to stop and think about what you're trying to do." Dipper didn't answer, simply pulled out his cell phone and called an old number.

"Don't be mad at me, Todd. You owe me a favor for the exorcism."

"Of course I know what time it is. My daughters need metal plates. Yeah, like the one I got when I was 19. Cut the crap, you owe me. We'll be there in an hour. You can do this, right?" Mabel's eyes grew wide and she wanted so badly to gather her nieces into her arms and hide them from the fear that possessed Dipper now.

"Thank you." She looked absolutely horrified, disgusted even.

"Dipper, stop it."

"You were going to have to tell your children about Bill anyway." He tells her, trying to make this about her.

"This isn't about them, this is about you being a lunatic right now."

"Shush, Todd owes me a favor." He buckles his now dressed children in the car, blasting the Moana soundtrack so loudly no one will possibly fall asleep, and he could swear that he was racing Bill in the darkness.

Todd was groggy but still impeccably talented. When Dipper was 19 it was Todd's father. When Ford had the metal plate inserted, it was Todd's grandfather. Each had known the haunting presence of Bill, were fighters in the the revolution in their own way. Maybe they were viewed as crackpots, but they had steady hands. Todd was Dipper's age, and had a four year old little boy named Eric that the twins played with sometimes. Eric was snug in bed now, and Todd looked like he wished he was too.

"This is a bit drastic, Dipper. They're so young."

"I know. Thank you for doing this anyway." Todd still looked uneasy as Dipper hunched down to his daughters' level.

"Girls, I need you to trust me right now more than ever. You aren't going to like what happens next, but it's necessary, like shots when we go to the doctor." The both nodded dutifully, both looking sleepy and confused.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Meg asked.

"First , baby, you're going to need a haircut..." He said with a sigh, Todd handing him the razor. Meg and Jess cried as their heads were shaved, blond and brunette hair mixing at their feet, Dipper whispering, "I'm sorry." The silence when they were put under was worse than their crying. Dipper couldn't watch, so he closed his eyes. Despite his own metal plate, he could swear Bill was in his head. But all that was there was fear.

So, here's a first introduction to Todd Strange, son of Tad Strange (because why not?) and grandson of Stephen Strange. (shrugs)


	13. The Bill talk

**And we're back! Sort of! I do have a very nice working schedule for Mom Can I have, I'm really excited for some of them, but I don't know how fast I'll be able to crank out chapters because life stuff (school).**

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"Mom, can we talk about what happened last night?" Isabel asked, acting as ambassador for her siblings, since she was the oldest triplet.

"Right, yeah, talking should happen. Pines family meeting!" Isabel was a little startled by that, they essentially never had family meetings, so clearly this was more drastic than a nightmare and some haircuts. Mabel took the initiative to herd her brother and nieces into her living room, with the triplets. They all crammed onto the furniture together. Dipper, Meg, and Jess were all super glum as they sat together. Neither girl seemed mad at Dipper, both just seemed extremely confused.

"Guy's, we have something to tell all of you about, from our past." Dipper looked panicked, but was as silent as Mac. Mabel had wanted to protect her kids from even the knowledge of Bill, but they owed their children explanations.

When everyone was quiet, Mabel began, "When Dipper and I were almost 13 we went to Gravity Falls for the first time, and discovered all the weirdness of the Falls." Dipper picked up the story.

"There were robots, shapeshifters, ghosts, and gnomes we had to fight off, but the greatest evil we ever faced was a geometric demon named Bill Cipher." A chill ran through the air as Mabel took over once more.

"The triangular terror broke through reality and tried to take over the entire world. He turned people into statues like it was _nothing_ , and he trapped me in an altered reality, using my dreams as weapons against me. Bill is 100% evil, and it took everything we had to defeat him. And I mean everything."

"But we knew it wasn't going to last forever. Bill was much too powerful to stay down. When I was younger Bill once possessed me. And last night, he possessed Jess. I was absolutely terrified, and I panicked and made a drastic choice. The metal plates in your head will make sure Bill never possesses either of you from now on. I'm sorry babies... That that's what I felt I had to do. You didn't deserve it forced on you with no explanation or choice." He hugged them close and kissed their clean shaved heads.

"The bad monster is gone?" Jess asked, trying to understand everything.

"Yes baby girl. And now you're like daddy." He knocked on the plate in his head. She smiled.

"What about us?" Ty asked, concerned.

"What do you mean?" Mabel looked down towards him, gently ruffling his reddish brown hair.

"Are we safe from Bill?"

"Well, you don't have metal plates, whether or not you want one is up to you."

"Why'd you never tell us?!" Isabel asked, sounding angry while Ty just looked scared.

"I didn't want to frighten you while we didn't know if Bill would be coming for us. Now it's clear he poses a threat, so now we're telling you."

"I don't want to be turned into a statue!" Ty yelped.

"Yeah! You should have told us sooner!" His sister backed him up.

"Tyrone, Isabel, calm down. I will not let Bill get his hands on you. Ever. YOu have nothing to worry about. Besides, you three have magic." Ty let it go. Isabel did not.

"You should have told us sooner." She repeated before storming out and going to her room, slamming the door. Mabel sighed and looked at her two boys.

"Go finish your weekend homework kiddos." They ran off to their room.

"How'd we handle that?" Mabel asked her brother. He sighed and shrugged.

"As well as we could've. I mean, Uncle Ford gave me the official "Bill Talk", but only after I already thought he was a traitor. I'd say it went better than that." She sighed again and nodded.

"Okay Dipper, watch my kids, I'm taking yours wig shopping."

"Oh, yeah. Right." Dipper nodded and nudged his girls forward.

"Come on pumpkin, come on Button. Just us girls." The three of them left and Dipper went to check on his nephews.

Ty was deep into a required reading book as Mac worked on an art project. Dipper sat beside Mac on his bunk bed watching him work. It wasn't very good, but it wasn't terrible either.

"Hey bud. Are you upset by what your mom and I told you guys earlier?" Mac hadn't seemed to react. He shook his head now.

"Not scared or angry?" Another head shake.

"Have you ever seen Bill?" Dipper asked out of the blue, remembering how Mabel had feared that her middle child was vulnerable to the demon's attacks. Mac shrugged and kept working. Dipper let out a low sigh and put a hand on Mac's shoulder.

"I know you don't like talking, but if you ever feel like it, let me know. I'll be here to listen to anything you have to say." Macon nodded and put his assignment down turning and pulling his Uncle into a hug. Dipper just smiled and hugged back. Then he heard the smoke detector begin to beep, and ran to check on Isabel.

"I know, I know, I should have opened a window." Isabel says with an eye roll, flicking off the flames at her wrist.

"This is why your mom isn't scared about Bill getting to you. I have a feeling you could hold your own against him."

"Maybe I want her to be scared." She muttered.

"What was that?" Dipper asked for clarification.

"I want her to be scared for me the way you're scared for Meg and Jess." Dipper sighed.

"Your mom wants you guys to be safe. She's terrified of Bill's influence on any of you. But she's been in denial for awhile, trying to convince herself that there's no way you won't be safe. So she doesn't seem as scared as I am, but she is." Dipper gave Isabel a small hugh.

"She loves you Isabel, and so do I." Seh resisted for a second and then hugged back.

"Dipper! Mail for you!" Mabel yelled as she returned with Jess and Meg.

 **To be continued.**

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 **I'm really excited to be back writing for you guys, as much as I can be.**


	14. Hot glue gun

Dipper studied the letter, a little perplexed and a little perturbed. He didn't want this letter. He'd been dreading this letter for nearly seven years.

"Mabel come here. Look at this." He called to his sister, for he was sitting in her kitchen studying the dreaded letter. Before she could come over Ty ran up.

"Mom can Mac and I use the hot glue gun?"

"Yes as long as there's no malicious intent." Mabel called, making her way over to her brother.

"It's for Valentine's day cards."

"Make sure you make one for everyone in your class." Mabel instructed.

"Obviously!" Ty ran off again.

"No one better get burned Tyrone Alexander!" She added before he left. Ty seemed to nod in agreement. Then Mabel turned her attention to her brother.

"What's up Dipper?"

"Look who this is from." He handed her the letter.

"No, seriously?" She looked at it incredulously.

"Preston and Priscilla Northwest." Dipper confirmed soberly.

"What do they want?"

"They want to meet their granddaughters."

"You should let them Dipper."

"But I don't want to. Those people were nothing but rude to Pacifica and I when we were dating and when we got married."

"Eloped."

"Married, eloped, what difference does it make?" Dipper grumbled.

"The difference is that you didn't invite them to see their daughter married."

"Didn't seem like something they wanted to see."

"Maybe not, but wouldn't you want an invite to Meg or Jess' wedding, even if they were marrying someone you hate? Even if you knew you would refuse?"

"Yes." Dipper said sullenly.

"And if either of your girls had a kid, wouldn't you want to meet your grandchild?"

"Well… Yeah…"

Ty stuck his head in the kitchen again.

"Mom can I borrow the yarn?"

"Of course dear, just don't make a mess or tie anyone in this family up. That includes your cousins and Monty."

"Yes mom!" He disappeared again.

"I can't believe that my babies are turning ten in four days…" Mabel said, nearly pulling her hair out over February 17th.

"It's exciting, you remember how psyched we were when we became ten year olds? We thought it was the beginning of adulthood. Of course, we found out quickly that it wasn't…"

"They want phones, and I still don't know what I'm doing for their party…"

"Oh yeah, I was talking to them about that. Mac and Ty would like me to take them to Berto's for a sleepover on the weekend and Isabel said that a girl's night with you and Meg and Jess would be fun while we were gone."

"Oh yeah, but they won't even tell me what they want for dinner, but they'll tell you all that."

"Because I'm the fun Uncle." Dipper said with a grin.

"I wanna be the fun uncle." Mabel grumbled.

"You can't be the fun uncle for your own children. But you can be the fun aunt for mine."

"Well, that sounds fine, as long as Melody and Soos are okay with it."

"They're always okay with it."

"But I want to have a cake and candles on Thursday to celebrate their actual birthday."

"Of course. Now you just have to get them to agree on the flavor."

Mac and Ty slaved over their valentines, using hot glue, glitter, and a whole lot of knitting. And Isabel wrote Happy Valentines day on a few dozen slips of paper and called it a day. That wasn't really her thing. Her brothers were far more crafty than she. Ty and Mac alternated on who knit and who made the cards, so that they both did half of each. They were pretty happy with their results, though some of the magically reinforced yarn hearts were a bit sloppy, since Ty was the better of the two in knitting, and some of the paper hearts were less than legible, because Mac conquered cursive, and Ty… Not so much.

"We did it." Ty said triumphantly, as Mac slept, head down on the table, glitter thoroughly mixed through his hair. Dipper carried him to bed for Mabel.

When the sun rose the next day Family Valentines had been distributed. Dipper had valentines from his niece and nephews, as well as two crude little paper hearts from his little girls, which made it up on the fridge. Mabel got the same, and promised to get her kids candy when it was discounted the next day, but Dipper got all five of them a king sized candy bar to snack on. Smiley got special dog treats, and Monty's tank had been decorated with cards from the triplets and twins, much to Mac's delight, since he thought he would be the only one contributing a card. They all left the house in merry spirits, cards for classmates in tow.

Filling mailboxes with Valentines was one of Mac's favorite things to do, so he silently begged his brother to allow him to do it on his own, though their masterful valentines came from both of them. Plus, it gave him a chance to sneak an extra Valentine that he'd made by himself into the Valentine's mailbox of a girl in their class named Willow. If Ty or Isabel knew he had a crush on Willow he would be mortified. He hoped though that she'd give him a Valentine back. His fingers were crossed.

Isabel wasn't expecting any Valentines. She wanted to tell her brothers to wisen up and not get hopeful. They never got Valentines. Why would that change just because they knit something. That didn't mean she didn't make a valentine for every single person in the class. Her mom would be livid if she found out that they'd left anyone out, so they never did. Plus, Mac and Ty got such joy out of making these, even if the only thing they got in return was glitter in their hair. There were general festivities, cookies from the teacher, supplies to make more valentines, a guess the amount of candy hearts in the jar (228, Petey Davis got it right), and a Holiday themed cartoon playing in the background. The triplets sat side by side waiting for something they all secretly knew wasn't coming. It was hard not to be discouraged, and they dipped into their candy bars from Uncle Dipper as the day progressed and others were rewarded with cards. Then, when they'd all but given up hope, a card was slipped into each individual mailbox.

They were store bought and unoriginal, but to Isabel, Mac, and Ty they were valentines victories.


	15. Cake

**This is an important chapter, read till the end, even though it's longer than normal.**

It was just the seven of them at the birthday party, after the feuding over cake flavors ended.

"Mom can we have chocolate cake?" being the prevailing vote, with Mac utterly disappointed to have his lemon cake vetoed in favor of a more traditional chocolate. But he cheered up pretty easily, because you can hardly go wrong with chocolate. Everyone was pretty jovial as the afternoon began and they sat down to celebrate. Instead of many little presents, Mabel had caved and gotten her kids one big present each, a smartphone. By no means was it the newest models, but there were few happier ten year olds that day than those three as they reveled in their gifts. Dipper got Mac a sketchbook, Ty a giftcard for Pet's Mart to get things for Smiley, and he got Isabel a hair straightener, which she'd asked for. And Jess and Meg made drawings and showed their cousins their recital practice. Isabel and Mac and Ty loved everything, cake, presents, performance, and all. And, as Ty was blowing up Berto's phone with gifs and sleepover plans, the phone rang. The old landline that came with the house. Isabel grabbed it.

"Hey kiddo."

"Dad!" She said, sounding surprised and happy.

"Hey Izzy, grab Ty and Macon, I want to wish you guys happy birthday."

"Okay, Ty, Mac, dad wants to wish us happy Birthday." Ty grumbled and Mac sighed, but both came.

"Happy 10th Birthday kiddos. I hope you have a wonderful day. My presents should arrive... Now!" Three book shaped packages arrived on the kitchen table. Ty was admittedly impressed, and grabbed the package with his name on it. He tore into it.

"Cool, a choose your own adventure book! We can share it." He said, as Mac looked at the present in interest. Isabel's package was already half opened.

"New graphic novel. We can share that too. And there's an inscription inside."

"Aw, cool, mine too. What did you get Mac?" Mac was staring at the inscription in his book. And then he slammed it into the recycling bin and went to his room. Ty was super confused. Dad had actually gotten them cool presents and made nice inscriptions, so why was this any different?

He went to the recycling bin and drew out the book. It was a dictionary, that wasn't too bad. But the inscription was garbage. Recycling. Ty's eyes lit up with rage, and he passed it to his sister. Isabel's hands shook, a little in anger, and it got handed to Mabel, who read it aloud.

"You're ten, here's a dictionary so you can learn how to talk." Mabel repeated, so angry. Dipper was shocked.

"Who does he think he is?" Dipper yelled, wanting to throttle Jeremy. The book went back in the recycling bin, and, hindering his family from following, Ty alone went to talk to his brother.

No one knows what was said, and no one knows who said anything.

Well, I know. I know that all that happened was all that needed to happen. Ty and Mac hugged it out, and cried about the father that had let them both down again.

When the next day came, and their sleepover commenced, Ty was determined to have a wonderful time and bring his brother out of the gloom from the present. He was so aggravated by his father for being so rude. He honestly didn't believe how horrible dad had been. He knew mom didn't like dad, but he didn't know that dad was this perfectly terrible. He had no idea.

It also consistently bugged him that someone could have such ill feeling towards Mac. Some stupid kids had sometimes made fun of Mac for not talking, but typically, people just accepted him for who he was. Because Mac was kind and creative and wonderful to be around. His silence came with compassion and loyalty and a secure knowledge, that Mac would do anything for you if you were his friend. He got along with everyone. With the twins who he'd carry around and help practice ballet, with Isabel, who'd literally cut off his left big toe and who occasionally squabbled with him, with mom and Uncle Dipper, but mostly, he and Ty got along. He was Ty's very best friend, and that meant too much to him to see Mac down.

So, he proposed the funnest of fun sleepover things to do.

"What do we do?" Berto asked, after the buzz of excitement had worn off and the pizza for dinner was settled in their stomach. Dipper and Soos and Melody were downstairs chatting it up about adult stuff, and Berto and Ty and Mac were upstairs in the room the mystery twins had once shared.

"We could watch a movie." Ty recommended cheerfully.

"We'll watch movies later. Let's play a game first."

"What game?" Ty asked, looking around. Mac texted his brother.

"Mac suggested truth or dare."

"Oh, that'll be fun." Berto looked at Mac, who was writing out truth and dare for his answers on post it notes in flowy script.

"Mac, truth or dare?" Mac tapped dare almost immediately.

"Hmm... Ty, what should we get your brother to do?" Ty giggled a bit and thought.

"For the next two rounds of the game, Mac has to hop up and down, except while answering questions."

"Okay, now Mac, you ask Ty, then Ty will ask me, and we'll go around. And we can help each other come up with questions and dares." Mac looked at his brother.

"Truth." He texted a question, hopping all the while. Ty stared at the question, before bursting out laughing.

"Mac asked me whether or not I was jealous of Isabel's magic skills. Of course not, Isabel can make things light on fire. My powers are way cooler than that." Mac laughed.

"Okay Berto, truth or dare."

"Eh, I don't feel like hopping, so truth."

"Who's your favorite triplet."

"Huey."

"No, I meant of us three."

"Oh. You guys won't get mad at me, right?"

"No, of course not, or we wouldn't have asked."

"Well, Isabel. Because we always have fun, nerdy debates. But I love all of you guys so much, you have to know that you three are some of my best friends. Okay, Mac, truth or dare?" Mac paused from hopping to poke at the truth card.

"Do you have a crush on anyone?" Mac's face turned red and he texted Berto. Berto read out loud, "Willow Darby." Ty guffawed.

"No! Really? That's awesome, dude. You should ask her out." Mac blushed and scrawled shyly, _I cant't._

"Sure you could." Mac took to writing again _it would require asking_. The three nodded. That was a fact. He would have to actually ask. Mac shrugged. Then he turned to Ty.

"Dare." Ty said instantly. A text came up.

"I have to go downstairs and ask Uncle Dipper for girl advice." Ty said, dying laughing. He went downstairs, and when he came back.

"Uncle Dipper said to be yourself, be respectful, and to take no for an answer." Berto and Mac both wrote that down. Ty still thought that girls had cooties, to be honest. It was fine with him if he never had a relationship. Mom's didn't turn out so well, so why should he date? But he was happy for his brother and his brother's crush. Mac was still hopping.

"Berto, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"You're gonna have to pick dare eventually."

"I will. Next time. What's my truth?"

"Do _you_ have a crush?" Berto's eyes grow wide and he looked down.

"Elsie Valentino." He mumbled.

"I've heard the name Valentino before." Ty mused.

"Robbie and Tambry Valentino's kid. Your mom set them up."

"That's awesome. I'm gonna help set you up with Elsie." Ty decided.

"Thanks man. Okay Macon, truth or dare? And after this one you can stop hopping." Mac tapped truth and sat down on his butt.

"You don't have to answer, because this is kind of personal, but if you're okay with it... Can you tell us why you stopped talking? I know you talked when you were little, I remember..." Mac swallowed hard, and nodded, holding up a finger to ask them to wait. Then he began to write. He handed the paper to Berto and he and Ty peered over it, both curious, having no idea what the response would be.

 _Dad never hit me. I swear. I swear. Mom thinks he might've and told me to tell her if he did. But I was never hit, so I never told anything. Dad never hit me, but he'd say words. Bad words that you aren't supposed to repeat. And mean words. He called me stupid and ugly. He said I was the worst part of him, and that I'd never become anything. I was little and the words stuck in me like splinters, and I'd cry. And he told me I was too sensitive, too much of a baby. I don't think he wanted 3 kids. I think he resented fatherhood, resented himself and I look the most like him. Because he would yell and yell and yell. But no one else heard or remembers. I'm the only one that remembers. So I started being quiet, so he wouldn't hear or see the worst part of himself._

Tears welled up in Ty's eyes, shocked and disgusted and so so saddened that he hadn't known what his brother had gone through. He now knew, after Mail's funeral, what Mac had meant when he'd told Isabel that he had a difficult life.

"Why did you keep it to yourself?" Ty asked, putting a hand on Mac's shoulder. Mac wrote down _I was four, I had no idea how_. He agreed.

"I'm so sorry." Berto said. _It's okay. It feels good to finally talk about it._ Mac didn't write anything more, he didn't seem to want to. He didn't want to say he was still working on loving what his dad had decided was unlovable. He didn't want to say that one day he would be able to talk again, because he'd have the self confidence to do so. He didn't want to let anyone know that he'd been working on who he was for six years, and he didn't know how to love himself the way he loved other people.

Instead he wrote, _Let's watch a movie._


	16. A story

Mabel began to pop popcorn as her daughter picked out a movie for them to watch. They were doing manicures and pedicures and face masks. Meg and Jess were excited to stay up late. Mabel felt like a rock star as her nieces cheered when she brought in the snacks.

"Did you pick a movie sweetheart?" She asked, hugging her daughter.

"Uh, not yet. Hey... I was wondering..."

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me a story from when you and Uncle Dipper were kids?"

"Sure. Your Uncle doesn't like to talk about it, but things were way different before we got to Gravity Falls. Before we had mysteries to chase, he was always looking for something. He didn't really let himself get close to other people, so no one really liked him. And that's how we ended up getting caught in the most massive prank ever." Isabel perked up, she always enjoyed a good prank idea she could use on her brothers.

"People must have known that Dipper bought into paranormal stuff, so they decided to use that against him. It was just after Halloween one year, and some of those third graders were ruthless. One of them I'd thought was my friend, we'd hung out all the time and I'd even given her friendship stickers, and she told me she had something to show me and that Dipper could come along if he wanted to. I think Dipper just really wanted to be invited, so he came along, even though he was nervous. Then my so-called friend and two other jerks locked us in a closet with someone dressed as a ghost, who proceeded to scare us so bad we cried." With that in mind, Isabel decided not to replicate the prank with her brothers. Ty was scared of the dark, and Mac would pretend to be scared even if he wasn't, to make Ty feel better.

"So, how about that movie?" Isabel would ask for more stories some other time, but for now, she selected a film.

"I was thinking Up."

"Up's good. Always makes me cry, but it's good. Put it in." As they put on brave faces and face masks and sniffled through the movie, no one had any idea that Mac was crying himself, as he opened up about his past. But the night turned into morning, and the crying couldn't last forever.

"Hey, boys, I'm going to run some errands in town today, so we'll head home in the afternoon. Sound good?" Dipper asked his nephews.

"Yeah! Can we explore for awhile?" Ty pleaded.

"Uhh... Melody, are they allowed to explore?"

"As long as they stick together. And Berto takes his bear spray."

"You have bear spray?" Ty asked.

"Yeah." Berto was only a teensy bit embarrassed by his mom's protectiveness. Mac grabbed his sketchbook, sending a twinge of nostalgia through Dipper.

"Have fun, be careful!" Dipper called, before heading off.

"I think it's cool that you have bear spray," Ty told his friend. Mac nodded.

"Oh, thanks! I guess it's kind of cool." Berto said, cheered up.

"Anyways... What are we looking for?" Ty asked. Mac showed them his sketchbook. There were a lot of trees.

"I don't think we're looking for trees. I could conjure an elephant..." Mac and Berto both quickly shook their heads, because that would just be disastrous.

"Let's look for monsters," Berto suggested randomly.

"Monsters? No really... Real live monsters?"

"I mean, there are also _bears_ but yeah. I see them all the time." Mac perked up and turned to an empty page in his sketchbook. He wasn't the greatest artist but he found joy in it.

"Awesome! Let's go on a monster hunt." Mac tapped his brother and wrote their Uncle's only instruction _Be Careful_.

"Oh yeah sure, we'll definitely be careful." Mac, as the slightly older sibling, kept an eye on his brother. No arms would be broken today. Ty, as the slightly younger sibling, kept an eye on _his_ brother. No toes would be lost today.

Berto kept an eye on his bear spray because there might be bears. Or multibears. Crazier things had happened in Gravity Falls. He might have fibbed a little bit when he said he saw monsters all the time. His mom didn't like him to go out alone and he didn't have many friends outside of the Pines triplets and the younger Pines twins. But he had bear spray, so that was cool. And he _had_ seen monsters before.

"Hey, hey, look!" Ty hissed in a whisper, pointing towards a form in the trees. Mac, surprisingly, charged ahead. Taking lead like never before. His sketchpad was ready. He wanted to find and record a monster. Isabel would be _so_ jealous.

What they found... Was sort of a monster. It was a tiny bearded man.

"You guys look familiar..." The gnome said, looking between the Pines boys.

"Especially you." He singled out Ty. Ty gulped.

"I'm Tyrone Pines." He said, trying to sound polite, though the pointy hat seemed awfully threatening in these strange woods. Berto had his bear spray at the ready.

"Pines? Like those two horrible twins?"

"Mabel is our mom!" Ty said helpfully, intrigued by the fact that this gnome was familiar with the legendary Mystery Twins. Mac was quietly sketching the gnome.

"I almost married her." The gnome said, nonchalant as if her rejecting him wasn't the biggest snub of his life. Ty elbowed Mac.

"Hey, Mac, we were almost gnomes!" Mac laughed and added a note above his picture, almost dad. He would almost prefer this short bearded guy to their tall bearded jerkface of a father.

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you gnome man. We've got to be going, we're looking for monsters."

"You don't have to look hard in these woods, kids. If I were you, I'd turn back. If I were you, I'd run screaming and stay as far away as you could." Berto chuckled nervously.

"He's joking." He told his younger friends.

"Serves you right if you get devoured by gremloblin. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"What's a gremloblin?" Ty asked as the gnome abandoned the lost cause.

"We should definitely try to find one." He didn't know his Uncle had unleashed one many years prior.

"Or, maybe not? Maybe we should go back. We found a magical creature, we can probably call it a day. Bear spray is meant for bears. Gremloblins sound just a tad worse." Berto tried his best to make a case for heading back.

"I guess so," Ty grumbled. Mac elbowed his brother and tapped the gnome drawing.

"Meeting a gnome was pretty cool," Ty admitted.

"And I think my mom was making cookies when we left."

"Dude! You should have said that first! Let's go!" Little did the three adventurers know, they were being watched. Berto would think twice before entering the woods unarmed going forward.


	17. Pictures

Dipper was sitting with his face in his hands, waiting for the whole world to unravel.

"Daddy, can you take pictures of me and Meg in our recital dresses?"

"Of course sweetheart!" He smiled at Jess, wanting to scoop her up and cuddle her but not wanting to mess up her outfit, the recital only hours away. He was frantic and nervous, but not for either of his bouncing ballerinas. He was an utter wreck because of what he'd done.

"Hey, shouldn't you be ready to go?" Mabel asked, there to keep her brother from spiraling out of control. To be completely honest, he hadn't been this openly upset since the night Bill upset Jess. Obviously, that had made him more upset, but he was still shaking a little now.

"Yeah... I'm almost ready."

"Are you ready to see them?" She asked, prodding her brother along. He looked pale.

"You know the answer to that." After several nights of feeling guilty and asking what ifs, he had reluctantly invited the Northwests to see their granddaughters' recital. And now he was regretting it.

Meg and Jess had never met their grandparents on mommy's side, so Dipper could only prepare for the worst. Preston and Priscilla had only ever been snotty and rude the entirety of him and Pacifica dating. They had never considered him a son-in-law, they barely considered him a person. Dipper didn't want to see them, but more than that, he was so afraid that they would be toxic to his children. If they tried to crush the dreams and hopeful spirit of his little girls, he would never let them back into Meg and Jess's lives. He almost just expected it to fail.

"Meg! Jess! Let's get going." He had snapped a few pictures and now herded them towards the car. Both girls were excited, their wigs styled like the other girls in the class, and their energy nearly uncontainable. Dipper had always been excited before the other recitals, but he was having a hard time mustering the same excitement now. He didn't know if he would even be able to focus on his little girls with Preston and Priscilla breathing down his neck the whole time. No doubt waiting for him to produce the proof his brood was perfect like they had expected Pacifica to be. He hadn't even seen them yet and he was already angry.

"Daddy are you okay?" Meg asked from the back. He glanced in the mirror at his precious little girls.

"Of course I am, sweetie."

"Are you excited?" Jess chimed in with an adorable grin.

"Oh yeah! You guys are going to be great!" He was smiling, showing what they needed to see. They'd only seen him breakdown once, and he wasn't going to let that happen again. Still, he was on edge. He knew, deep down, what he feared the most, was her parents bringing him to tears. Because mourning Pacifica again was the last thing he wanted to do in front of his angels. And he knew a conversation with the Northwests was the exact thing that could make him bawl his eyes out over his lost love.

He got the girls to the recital hall and let them run off with their fellow dancers, both cheerful and chatty and looking like little princesses. He then went and sat in the lobby to wait for Mr. and Mrs. Northwest.

While he was waiting for his in-laws, Mabel and the triplets came in, bearing bouquets for the ballerinas. Then Soos and Melody came in, Berto also sporting flowers for Meg and Jess.

"I'm so glad you could make it," He said, grateful towards the Ramirez family for making the drive down.

"Oh, wouldn't miss it for the world. You guys are family," Soos assured, and Melody agreed instantly.

"The girls will be really glad to see you," Dipper added to the thirteen-year-old who didn't show any signs of being embarrassed to be holding flowers at a little kid dance recital.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Berto echoed with a smile before going off to sit and talk to the triplets.

Dipper was stuck waiting alone then, time frozen and heart heavy. They wouldn't be late. Based on how hard they'd bartered the terms of this visit, they wouldn't have the nerve to be late.

Then he saw them. There might have been a little more gray in their hair since the last time he saw them. But they were exactly the same otherwise, still looking snotty and disapproving. He remembered the fight that had ensued when they had discovered that he and Pacifica were married. He flinched in remembrance and stood up.

"Preston, Priscilla." He said civilly, offering his hand for a handshake. They shook his hand with a grimace and sigh.

"Mason." He grit his teeth. He hated when people called him Mason, but they'd insisted on it as soon as they'd found out that that was his given name. They used it with a sneer, or they had, last time they'd argued.

Dipper was glad of one thing now as he led the Northwests into the auditorium to watch the recital. He was glad that his last memory of them hadn't been a fight. They'd fought for years, often with Pacifica stuck in the middle between them, crying her makeup off. But the last time Dipper had seen his in-laws was at the funeral, and they'd been the ones crying. So had he. His heart hurt as he remembered it, but there'd been no animosity then, so maybe they could survive this. They settled down in mostly silence. They were civil towards Mabel and the triplets, who were in their own little world talking to Berto, except for Mac who drew on the recital program. Dipper waited, hardly breathing, for the show to start.

And then his little girls were on stage, twirling and leaping and only just a little bit misstepping with the other girls. They looked so happy. And then something went just a little wrong, and there was an audible gasp throughout the entire auditorium as Jess's wig fell off in the middle of a move. Meg noticed and immediately tossed down hers and kept dancing. Dipper began panicking, feeling the eyes of Preston and Priscilla on him. He tried to formulate an excuse, little did he know Meg had him covered.

After the recital, he rushed backstage with his family to see Jess and Meg. They'd gotten a few snickers and weird looks from the other dancers. Dipper came in to hear Meg wielding a lie to her concerned teacher.

"One of our friends has cancer, Ms. Nancy. She lost all of her hair to chemo and so me and Jess wanted to support her." She said it so convincingly, so innocently, who wouldn't believe her? Jess was the worst possible liar, but Meg seemed to have everything under control. Dipper looked at his daughter with a mix of pride and concern. What did it mean that she was so good at lying?

He repeated the story to their grandparents and watched in curiosity as the two snobs knelt down to be at Meg and Jess's level, so they could properly introduce themselves.

"You two were wonderful," Preston said after formal introductions.

"Thank you, grandpa!" Jess said warmly. The words must have warmed Preston's cold heart because he offered his arms.

"Mabel, could you take a picture of all of us?" Priscilla asked, welcoming Meg into her own arms. Preston held Jess and put a hand on Dipper's shoulder. Dipper felt choked up all of the sudden, moved that Pacifica's parents would reach out like this after losing her. For the first time, they were trying, and that was enough.

After the picture, Preston and Priscilla bid them farewell and promised to keep in touch. Jess and Meg were presented with a plethora of flowers, and, exhausted by the day's activities, Jess and Meg just seemed to want to go home. Jess had put her wig back on, Meg had not. He buckled them into the car, both still beaming from excitement, and watched Meg pick up something he hadn't realized had been left in the car. It was his pine tree hat. She slid it over her shaved head and smiled a little wider.

"I like this better..." He heard her mumble as she dozed off. He smiled and did his best not to cry.


	18. Couch bed

**This chapter might be a little longer because I didn't want to skimp out on the whimsy of spring break, although it might not be so whimsical for the triplets... This isn't really a light-hearted chapter. On a light-hearted note, I am _also_ on spring break, so I wanted to do these two chapters, this one about the triplets on spring break, and the next one about Meg and Jess.**

 **Also, how do you guys like Berto as a recurring character?**

* * *

"Mom, can we move the couch into Mac and I's room?" Ty asked, jumping up and down in front of Mabel with a mischievous grin.

"I really don't have a problem sleeping on the air mattress," Berto interjected, often offering a tamer solution to balance out Ty and Isabel's hijinks.

"Sorry kiddo, we need the couch in the living room." It was nice of Melody and Soos to loan out their son for spring break, and Berto was somewhat there to make sure that no one else lost another toe while Mabel was at work. Dipper and the girls had left for their Disney cruise already but Mabel had thrown this staycation together at the last minute. Her kids just seemed excited to hang out with their friend all week. Berto had arrived earlier this morning (Sunday) and was leaving Saturday. All four looked thrilled as they went to went to go play outside. The house didn't boast as much of a yard, and the town wasn't as safe to wander as Gravity Falls, but if anyone was creative enough to fill a week with fun, it was her kids.

"What do you want to do?" Berto asked as they looked around the yard.

"Tag?" Ty asked, still full of energy.

"Sure, but you guys can't use your powers this time, it's not fair," Berto said with a laugh.

"Fair enough." For half an hour they chased each other, the dog chasing them in confusion until Mac tripped and sprawled out on the ground, knees effectively skinned. Ty was by his side in an instant and Berto lingered nearby.

"Are you okay?" Ty asked, putting his hand on Mac's shoulder. Smiley licked Mac's face, and Isabel waited expectantly for Mac to get up. Falling wasn't anything unusual, and they always got up.

"Isabel," Mac muttered. Isabel looked over in surprise and went over.

"Yeah, Mac? Are you okay, do you need anything?"

"We need to talk," Mac said as he got to his feet. Isabel felt a little threatened by those words. If they were coming from Mac, something was probably really wrong. Ty and Berto exchanged looks. This was weird.

"T-talk?" Isabel stuttered because Mac was terrifying when he talked. Mac nodded grimly and turned to Ty and Berto.

"I haven't told her what I told you. She deserves to know." What Mac didn't say was that he had a bad feeling about this week. This nagging feeling in his gut. Isabel looked at Ty and Berto helplessly.

"I guess we'll be back then." Berto and Ty meandered to the small back porch and squatted there so they could talk while something went down.

Mac got bandaids and disinfectant for his knees and beckoned Isabel into his bedroom, knowing that mom was around there somewhere and not wanting her to hear. He'd been practicing this speech in his head, but he still felt ill prepared. He glanced at his turtle's tank to find strength and let and let out a deep breath.

"I know you love dad and I would never try to change that, but you need to know something about him."

"Okay," Isabel still felt nervous, watching her brother bandage his knees. Mac struggled to admit it to her. He'd known that this was something Isabel would need to hear. Ty could accept the silence but Mac only really reached Isabel out loud.

"Dad's the reason I stopped talking." He blurted, sweating a little, unable to stay calm. Talking was hard for him, he usually only talked when he was in a place of anger, but now he was just anxious and sad.

"What?" Isabel asked, a little stunned.

"When mom and dad were together, you guys never noticed, but dad treated me like crap. He saw himself in me and he hated that, took out his frustrations on the one most like him. He'd yell and curse because he hated me and so I stopped talking and tried to disappear, so he wouldn't be reminded of what he hated most." Mac tried to hold back tears. He knew deep down that how Jeremy perceived him, how _anyone_ perceived him wasn't really important. He knew deep down that it wasn't his fault. But he still blamed himself. He still kept quiet until he could fully love himself. Isabel was shocked into silence for several minutes, only thinking to hug her brother.

"I'm so sorry that I never knew... That I let you go through this alone... And I'm sorry that I thought you were quiet because you weren't smart." She cringed in embarrassment at that. She knew now that her brother was creative and brilliant and kind. Mac sniffled and offered her a smile.

"I didn't give anyone much of a reason to think I was smart," He admitted, not holding grudges against his sister.

"Well, to me you're brilliant." She assured, smiling back.

While Mac and Isabel talked and reconciled, Berto and Ty threw a ball for Smiley and had a private conversation of their own.

"Tell me more about Elsie," Ty prompted. He was dead set on coaxing a confession out of the smitten teen. Playing matchmaker excited him, even though he didn't want romance for himself right now.

"Ah, well, she's way more social than I am, she's got so many friends, I don't think I could talk to her."

"If she's outgoing that's exactly why you should talk to her. She probably wants to make friends, I doubt that it would seem out of place if you said hello."

"I just... I'm not good with people. You guys and my parents are my best friends."

"Are you embarrassed about that? Your parents are awesome, and I don't have many friends outside of family either. I mean, Mac's my absolute best friend, and then Isabel and you." Berto sighed.

"I didn't mean to make it sound like a bad thing. I just think I'm kind of unimpressive compared to her."

"Unimpressive? Dude! You have bear spray! You're the second nicest guy I know and you're a total boss with video games. Plus you're really wicked smart. What's not to like about you?" Berto gave a shrug.

"Elsie's just so cool, and so pretty..."

"She'll like you, dude. Everyone will like you when they get to know you. I'll get you a date with her." Ty sounded confident. After all, his mom had been a matchmaker. He knew he could do the same for his best friend. Berto laughed at the ten-year-old's unabashed optimism, believing him.

"Thanks, dude."

"Of course!" Ty was pretty chipper all the time, though he frowned for a second.

"Something wrong?" Berto asked. Ty jerked his thumb back, at the house.

"Mac's crying."

"When you said I was the second nicest guy you knew, I lost to Mac right?" Ty laughed, "Yeah."

"That's fair."

The week continued. Mac had grown a little more reserved than he usually was, distracted by prophetic apprehension. Something was going to happen, and he honestly felt a little sick. Plus the week had turned rainy and so they were mostly staying indoors watching movies and playing board games. He spent a lot of his time sketching in his sketchbook. He drew the other three squabbling over monopoly. This was the fifth game he'd sat out for. Berto, the one who was supposed to be responsible for the triplets, was worried that Mac was ill or otherwise broken.

"Mac," he asked for the hundredth time, "are you okay?" Mac looked up and shrugged, causing Berto to worry all the more. He was a bit of an obsessive worrier, and when people didn't let him take care of them he'd just fidget and grow even more anxious. But Mac wasn't about to make their guest play doctor just because he felt a little queasy. Ty was a little worried too since it was Tuesday and Mac hadn't eaten much since Sunday. Isabel wondered if Mac was just still upset from telling her about dad and hadn't pressed the subject, knowing Mac probably didn't want people to worry about him. It was hard not to worry though when Mac got up and ran to the toilet to hurl, just as the doorbell rang. Berto wanted to check on Mac but as the oldest, it was his job to man the door.

"Ty, go check on your brother, I'll get the door." Ty nodded and dashed off, and Berto walked to the door, bear spray holstered at his hip. He peeped through the peephole and stepped back in surprise. He couldn't have been more than 7 or 8 last time he saw this man, at some birthday party that had ended in disaster, but he recognized him right away. Steeling his courage he opened the door just to tell Jeremy to go away.

It didn't work that way.

"Sir, you can't be here," Berto started as Jeremy stepped into the house.

"Listen, kid, you're not in charge around here," Jeremy sneered. Berto was terrified.

"Actually, right now I am, and I need you to leave-" He sounded so nervous and small.

"I get it, you're their baby sitter." Jeremy was still walking in, backing Berto into the wall.

"No, I'm their friend, and you have to go," he tried again, trying to sound confident instead of shaky. Jeremy glowered down at him and suddenly Berto felt the hand meet his face. He was nearly knocked down, and his eye was beginning to swell.

"Don't hurt him!" He heard Isabel yell, seeing her hands light up with flames.

"Come on Izzy, we're going on a trip."

"Don't take another step," Isabel warned, furious.

"You're being stupid Izzy, let's go!"

"No, I won't go with you, get out of the house!" Fearing Jeremy would hurt his daughter, Berto forced himself between them, spraying bear spray in Jeremy's eyes. Jeremy cursed and stumbled out and Isabel locked the door, rushing over to Berto.

"Your eye! Your face!" Isabel felt terrible. Berto hadn't done anything to deserve this, he'd just done his best to be a good friend.

"Sorry, I'm fine," Berto groaned, "Is Mac okay?"

"I'm calling my mom." Isabel decided.

Soon Mabel was home, gently taking care of Berto's black eye and bruises.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this to your parents," Mabel said, feeling so bad for the boy.

"I'm sorry..." Berto said sheepishly.

"Don't you dare apologize, Roberto," Mabel said sternly, "you were very brave and very responsible. I'm so glad you were here, and it definitely wasn't your fault." She hugged him.

"Thank you for taking care of them." Berto smiled and reddened then remembered...

"Is Mac okay? He was throwing up."

"He's feeling much better, but he's resting now."

"Good." That satisfied him.

"You should rest too young man. And I'll talk to your parents, see if we can salvage this spring break." Berto smiled and nodded, promising to go lie down on the air mattress. Ty and Isabel were swapping stories. Ty told Isabel about how Mac had vaguely predicted what was going down and that's why he'd felt so sick. Isabel told Ty about Berto, clearly terrified but willing to step in between her and Jeremy nonetheless.

"He's like a hero..." Isabel said, causing Ty to grin.

"That's so cool!"

"I wish he hadn't gotten hurt though."

"Yeah... That's not so cool."

"What do you think will happen?"

"He'll probably go home," Ty said sadly.

"Actually, I just got off the phone with Melody, and she said that if Berto wants to stay he can. But I'm going to be staying home with you for the rest of the break."

"Awesome!" Of course, Berto would want to stay, Ty and Isabel high fived. This would be an excellent spring break after all.


	19. Pool

"Daddy, can we go to the pool?" Jess asked, a big smile on her face, contrasting starkly to Dipper's very concerned expression as he took the phone call.

"Go get dressed for the pool, we'll go when I'm off the phone." He told her, holding the phone away, still very shaken up. Then he returned to his sister's slight breakdown.

"I can't believe he went that far, Dipper. I'm honestly a little scared..."

"Me too, but it's going to be okay. I'll work on whipping something up to repel his magic when I get home. If you want me to come home now I will."

"Nonsense Dipper, you just got there, enjoy your vacation. I won't let anything else happen. I won't."

"I know, Mabel. Just don't forget to take care of yourself. If he'd be willing to hurt a teenager like that, who knows what he'd do to you." Dipper was so worried, but he talked in whispers so his girls wouldn't get scared and have their vacation ruined. They deserved this after the year they'd had so far. After Bill...

"I'll keep that in mind. Now go get back to your vacation! I really don't want you worrying about us." But saying that was futile. He was going to worry. He took his kids to the pool on deck, watching them laugh and play in the shallow end, safe and responsible. He knew he didn't really have to worry about them, they wouldn't try anything risky and stupid. So he grabbed a deck chair and distracted himself worrying about his sister and her kids. Jeremy was absolutely insane. Something had to be done about him, and Dipper was somewhat considering murder. But he probably shouldn't let his emotions make rash decisions anymore, because he was pretty terrible at that.

"Are you staring at me?" He heard someone ask, startling him from his musings. He looked to see a pretty woman in swimwear with her arms crossed. Dipper blushed, checked the water to make sure his girls were still safe, and then looked back at the woman.

"Sorry, I didn't realize. I was distracted, my sister is dealing with her ex and I didn't realize I was staring." He said humbly, eyes down.

"Oh... Well, I'm sorry for accusing you." She got up and slid into the water and he would admit that he watched her for a few seconds, but then he went back to watching Meg and Jess. He was mortified by the interaction, but it reminded him of Meg asking him for a mama. He was embarrassed about staring at the woman, how creepy was that? But maybe he should start dating again. Not here, not on vacation. He didn't want to agonize over this now when this week was supposed to be about the girls. He watched them splash and play until they grew tired, and then they returned to the room for room service.

Dipper faked happiness for the rest of the day. He was happy, in a sense, because he was with his daughters in the most magical place on earth (sorta), but nevertheless, he was distracted by thoughts of Mabel and the triplets... And of Pacifica. He was metaphorically pacing around his mind. He honestly hadn't considered dating again. He had been sure Pacifica was the one, the only one, and then he'd lost her. After a fun but long day around the ship, he tucked his girls in, waited for them to fall asleep, and then he went for a quick walk.

When he reached the edge of the boat he stared out on the water. There were people everywhere, it was loud and busy, but he felt isolated. He stared up at the moon and whispered to it.

"Pac? Is it wrong if I move on? If I could if I'm able to, is that okay?" He asked her, tears in his eyes. He realized how tired he was, doing it all alone. And he hadn't cried in so long. He hadn't let himself.

"Pac, I think they need a mother. And I... I just need you. But I know that's not how things work anymore. I know I'll never get you back." Well, there were ways, if he wanted to attempt reanimation, but that wasn't safe, and it wasn't a good example for his kids. Obviously, she didn't answer him, but Dipper still felt a lot better voicing his anxiety to her. He was scared to date again, scared to fall in love again. He still didn't know if it was possible.

"I don't think you'd be mad. Maybe it was wishful thinking, just me wanting to use you as an excuse to not try again. I'm so scared Pac... I don't remember what it's like to date someone, to love someone like that... I don't remember what it's like to be loved like that." He was so embarrassed to be out on this limb again. He could imagine her laughing at him for being a scaredy cat. He missed her laughing at him. He could see her telling him to go for it, and he knew, if he'd been the one who'd died, he wouldn't want her giving up on romance. He pulled out his phone, glancing at the time, knowing he should get back to Meg and Jess.

"I wonder if Mabel would do this with me..." He went back to his room, shooting his sister a text. This might be a good way to get her mind off of the Jeremy issue, maybe even a good way to help with the Jeremy issue. Mabel had dated once or twice since Jeremy, maybe if something stuck he wouldn't bother her as much.

"Are you up?" He texted Mabel.

"Yeah, we're watching Air Buddies."

"Oh man, I forgot that movie existed."

"Did you need something?"

"Do you think we should start dating people again?"

"Yes." She barely hesitated with her response.

"Alright, let's do this."

"Have fun on vacation, I've got to focus on the movie." Dipper set down his phone and lay down on the bed.

"I guess I'm really doing this, Pac."


	20. Distraction

Mac and Isabel and Ty sat on Isabel's bed together, very quiet. The break was over, and Berto had gone home. Meg and Jess and Uncle Dipper were back. But things weren't the same anymore. Not after what had happened. They were all as silent as Mac always was, and then... Suddenly, Isabel started crying. Mac and Ty wrapped their arms around her.

"He tried to kidnap me..." Isabel sobbed. Mac rubbed her back, clearly distressed. He'd always known that their dad was a piece of garbage, and Ty had always been on the fence, but Isabel had trusted them. Isabel had believed that there was good in him. And now she was getting slapped in the face by the truth. Mac looked at her sympathetically and hopped off the bed, showing his siblings a finger to indicate that he'd be back in a moment. He had an idea. He grabbed a notepad from the kitchen table and found Mabel, scribbling something down on the notepad and holding it up in front of her.

Mac's request was simple-ish. _Mom, can we have a distraction? Isabel is sad._

Mabel nodded, both under the assumption that this exchange between them would be a secret.

Then he filled two glasses with ice water and grabbed three crazy straws, putting the purple one in one cup and the red one and the green one in the other. Then he returned to his siblings. He offered Isabel one cup and tipped the other towards his brother, who leaned over and sipped from the red straw.

"Thanks, Mac," Isabel mumbled, swiping at her eyes.

"It's okay to cry," Mac told her quietly, still only talking when he deemed it necessary.

"Hey kiddos, let's go we have to run some errands," Mabel called through the house with a smile. She had a few surprises planned.

"Let's go, guys," Mac said and smiled. When he'd left Ty and Isabel exchanged a look.

"Has he ever lied to us before?" Isabel asked.

"No..."

"He's _terrible_ at it."

"Yeah, something's definitely up. Let's go find out."

"Our errands are to a bookstore?" Isabel asked suspiciously.

"Yep. Gotta get a cookbook, I haven't been cooking a lot recently and I want to try some new things."

"Oh, okay."

"But you guys can each pick out a book," Mabel added with a smile. Isabel knew that her brother had somehow set this up, but it was a really nice surprise, so she didn't complain about it or mention that she knew what was going on. And Ty didn't mention it either. In fact, he decided to utilize his mom's desires to make them feel better. He quickly grabbed a book that he wanted and then helped his mom pick out a cookbook.

"What about this one?" He suggested, plucking a promising title off the shelf.

"Thanks, kiddo. Did you find a book?"

"Yeah, I was wondering if we could go to the park later?"

"Yeah, maybe after this."

"Don't you have other errands to do?"

"We need to go to the grocery store, but we don't have to do that first."

"Oh, okay." Ty went to check on Isabel, whose spirits hadn't been completely lifted.

"Today's the day to ask mom for whatever you want. We're about to go to the park."

"Good job Ty, milking mom's compassion. Why don't you go ask for a second dog or a laptop or whatever?" Isabel sounded unenthusiastic as she picked through the YA novels.

"Hey, I know this isn't going to fix everything, but they're doing this for us. Mom and Mac know how upset you are, and me, as well. So they just want us to be happy."

"I just.. I don't think I can be happy right now. My whole worldview is shattered, you know? I thought I could trust him, I thought he loved me... And then, in just a few days I found out that he abused my brother and that he was willing to kidnap me... Nothing will ever be the same."

"They don't have to be the same, though. We've lived a long time without a dad, in a way, we can adapt, we can grow stronger from this..."

"I don't want to be stronger. I just want to be normal. I want to have a normal mom and dad and family..."

"Sorry sis, you've got us. We're not normal, but we're here for you."

"Yeah, yeah... You're a dork."

"I know. Feeling better?" Isabel held up her thumb and pointer, squeezed together with just a little bit of space in between them.

"A little."

"Well, we're going to the park, so you'll have some more time to feel better then. C'mon, what are you picking?" Isabel grabbed the book she'd been looking at.

"Let's go find Mac and pretend we don't know he set this whole thing up," Ty suggested, causing his sister to laugh.

"Let's do it."

They went to the park and chased each other around the wooden fortress. If there hadn't been other kids around, they would have upped the game with powers, but since it was pretty public their fun was slightly muted. Nonetheless, they were really enjoying themselves, and as they ran Isabel briefly forgot her grief.

They went to the grocery store like Mabel had alluded to, but afterwards, they stopped by this little local ice cream stand to get dipped cones before going home.

"Okay, I hope everyone had a great time, however, if you haven't done your homework go ahead and get that done."

"Okay, mom!"

"I'm gonna try a new recipe for dinner, I'll call you when it's ready!" The triplets ran off to their separate spaces to work on homework. Isabel was, admittedly, still really upset about what their dad had done. But she chose to heed Ty's words, that they could grow stronger from this. And she couldn't deny that she did have a pretty good family.


	21. home (love) sick

**Ooh, haven't updated in a while. I'm trying. BTW, comment if you'd like a future version of this story, like a ten years later, when this one is done. Because I may or may not have already started writing that. :D**

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"Can I stay home from school?" Ty asked fake coughing into his hoodie.

"Are you sick?"

"Yes," Ty lied.

"I don't even halfway believe you but I'm going to let this pass because I have a bet going on with your Uncle today and I'm not going into work," Mabel said with a sigh.

"Okay thanks, mom, I promise I will not be sick tomorrow, today is just super important."

"Oh yeah, what's going down today, bud?"

"I'm talking Berto through asking out this girl he likes. He said you set up her parents when you were younger and he's gonna ask her out today and I'm gonna be his support team and his wingman." Mabel ruffled his hair.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," she said proudly.

"Why're you staying at home?" His siblings were already on their way to school by now with Uncle Dipper and the twins.

"Also a matter of the heart. Dipper wants to get back into the dating game, he thinks I should make the leap too. So we might've made a bet to see who can get a date first."

Ty laughed, "I thought grown-ups weren't supposed to do that kind of stuff."

"You thought wrong. Want to help your old mom with matters of the heart while you wait to help Berto?"

"Yeah!"

"Great, you can help me set up a dating profile." So maybe this was a little weird. But her son seemed born to play matchmaker, and Mabel was eager to encourage it.

"I'm gonna help you find the man of your dreams," Ty promised enthusiastically, and Mabel laughed.

"That's the spirit buddy, but don't feel bad if it doesn't always work out. Not everyone is meant to fall in love, and that's okay." Mabel had learned that the hard way.

"I'll keep that in mind." It would still drive Ty insane sometimes when he couldn't make the perfect match for his friends and family, but he'd try not to put more pressure on himself than necessary. That was all he could do.

Mabel opened up the app, admittedly afraid of what she'd discover. What if things went bad? This could be a nightmare, and her kids were watching. She'd made this mistake before. She'd made so many mistakes before. But this was for a bet, and that made it okay! Maybe she was teaching her son a bad lesson on responsibility and how one should prioritize bets over everything else. She was still a kid at heart so sometimes she forgot to parent her kids into adulthood. Aww. She didn't want her kids to grow up. What would these little weirdos be like as adults? She literally could not imagine. Probably crazy.

"Swipe right on everyone you could see yourself having another kid with," Tyrone suggested.

"Ty I'm not having any more kids."

"Why? I can't be the youngest forever!"

"Yes you can and you will. You'll always be my little boy."

"Fine. But do that anyway. Swipe until someone matches."

"Okay, but normally you shouldn't do that. You should probably be more discerning in relationships." Tyrone jotted that down.

"Discernment. I'll keep that in mind for matchmaking."

"Right. But today is more about speed than discernment. We gotta beat out Dipper. The only chance he has of beating us with this swipe until we get a match policy is by I don't know, dating someone in the carpool lane."

"Yeah! We got this in the bag! Uh... What do we get if we win?"

"Bragging rights."

"Boooooo. Put some money or candy or something at stake."

"You're right. Kids know everything. Text your Uncle and ask him if 20 dollars is good for this dating bet."

"Fifty," Ty negotiated.

"Fifty? You've never had fifty dollars in your life."

"If he agrees and we win then we can split the money, and you'd still be getting more than 20 dollars."

"But what if he doesn't agree to even twenty?"

"There's no harm in trying mom. Ooh, swipe on that guy. Stepdad material."

"Ty please don't make plans for a wedding. We're just trying to land one date for fifty dollars."

"So I can move forward asking for 50 dollars?"

"Yeah send the text."

"Done." Ty tapped his fingers impatiently waiting for the response.

"Oh, I got my first message!" Mabel had been swiping randomly and opened up a message, Ty leaning over in interest. Mabel yelped and shut her phone off as quickly as possible.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that! That's not the right thing to do, it's bad internet etiquette and you should never force that on another person without consent."

"I've seen worse," Ty said cryptically.

"What? Tyrone Alexander Pines, what do you mean you've seen worse? Do I need to report someone?"

"No, I just mean like in the guy's locker room when people are changing for gym."

"Oh. Okay good. Anyway, this is what we meant about discernment. We don't date guys like that. Not stepdad material."

"Got it." He wrote that down.

"Don't use that word." He crossed it out and wrote a different, slightly less offensive word.

"Oh, I'm getting a call from Berto I have to help him out with this. Good luck mom!"

"Good luck kiddo!" Mabel decided to practice some of that discernment she'd suggested Ty practiced, and Ty ran off to play matchmaker.

Both ended up disappointed.

"Berto got rejected. I told him that there is plenty of other fish in the sea and that he has to practice discernment and keep trying and all that, but he's super bummed.

"Yeah well, I haven't found anyone who's stepdad material."

"Uncle Dipper agreed to the 50 dollar bet though. So we gotta keep trying."

"Okay, but we'll be a little bit more discerning about this. No more unsolicited pictures, no more random swiping. Let's try for real to find someone that would be good for me. Sound good?"

"Yeah! We'll find someone who's stepdad material. We'll find a good man on the internet!"

They found nothing.

"Ah well. I'm sure Dipper didn't have any more luck than that."

"Hey, sis! Guess who won 50 bucks today?" Dipper called as he strolled into the kitchen.

"What? How?!"

"I got a date in the carpool lane."

"Wow, that's... Wow. You've earned that 50 bucks. Good luck with the date!"

"Yeah... It's totally not terrifying..." Mabel handed her brother two twenties and a ten from her wallet, and Dipper slipped Ty a twenty.

"Double agent!" She accused.

"I go where my matchmaking skills are needed, mom. Maybe this is Uncle Dipper's soulmate. Practice discernment though, Uncle Dipper."

"I will buddy. I'm not expecting soulmate. It'll just be good to get back into the dating game. And don't worry Mabel, you'll find someone. Maybe don't use a dating app. You're better in person."

"Aww, thank you. And Dipper, you'll find the one. Even if it isn't Lady Carpool."

"Thanks, sis, and," he held up the thirty, "thanks for covering the tip."


End file.
